After cannabis, nitrogen oxide is the second most consumed substance in 13-25 year olds. While this gas is already prohibited for sale to minors in certain places, the deputy LFI Idir Boumertit wants to go further. With his bill, he wants to both strengthen prevention and limit access to professionals.
A report of Marie Casadebaig and Lisa Barel-Frémeaux,,
Sofiane is 22 years old, he was a plumber and, because of her Hilarious gas consumptionhe had to stop his job. “” [J’étais] pAlyseed legs, paralyzed with the hands. When I closed my eyes, I fell. [J’ai eu] An infection with lungs. I lost one, testifies the young man. The first time I took it was during confinement in 2020, I think. I must have been 19 and after, I continued. It was actually daily. We could feel a feeling of joy, we forgot the problems … And if we stop the ball, after ten seconds, the effect dissipates. We wanted to do it again. »»
About a year ago, Sofiane was hospitalized. He can no longer breathe. And for good reason, one of his lungs no longer works. He also loses the use of his legs. Even today, he follows a rehabilitation program. “” I stayed in a wheelchair for six months. It is as if my muscles had returned to zero, he explains. I recovered my legs over time and, today, I always work on muscle strength. »»
Nitrogen oxide is most often used by professionals, in the medical environment as anesthetic or in the food industry. Young people consume it for its euphoric effects. They pierce the cartridges, fill a balloon with and inhale it.
“” From the first consumption, we become addict ”
Françoise Cochet knows the effects of this gas on health well. She is president of The Apeas association which fights against dangerous games. “” The problem is that these gases cross the wall of the pulmonary alveoli, pass into the blood and instantly arrive at the cerebral level. The major danger of all these inspiration practices of any other gas than air is the risk of cardiac arrest. »»
And the consumer can quickly become dependent, this is what happened to Sofiane: “ From the first consumption, we become addict. As soon as you start to feel the effects, it’s over. Afterwards, we want to do it again, says the young man. By month, sometimes, I could use 600 euros, it depended on my budget. But if I had the money to consume, I bought, I had no limits. »»
Today, Sofiane has stopped consuming and testified. For him, limiting the access of nitrogen to professionals to professionals is a good thing, but for Françoise Cochet, it is not the solution: ” For us, the only way to counter these accidents is prevention. So, prevention on the one hand adults to inform them – for parents, but also professionals -, and then, of course, prevention with students. »»
About ten days ago, the deputies adopted this bill. Soon it is up to the Senate to decide on the text.
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