Large canisters of NOS being sold from shops despite crackdown

Checkpoint

A street cleaner said she's still seeing large canisters of nitrous oxide being sold to young people from shops in Mangere town centre, despite the government's recent crackdown on the sale of nitrous oxide for recreational use. 'NOS' or Nangs as they're known, can be used to make whipped cream, but people also use it as a drug to get high. Last month, Health Minister Shane Reti said the government is considering urgent options to try and stop people selling and using the substance. These include penalties of up to two years in jail or a hefty fine. It followed a Medsafe report highlighting the risks of using it to get high, Bella Craig reports.