UAE warns residents against use of 'laughter gas'

Sharjah - Usage is increasing among youths, especially teenage students.

Despite the efforts being made by anti-narcotic departments of the police authorities to curb the spread of drugs, gangs continue to explore different techniques to promote substances among various social groups, especially youths of the country.
According to sources in the police, the use of ethyl chloride spray - known as laughter gas - is increasing among the youths, especially teenage students.
"Summer vacation is a time that requires much alert as drug dealers are very active in targeting students, who have a lot of leisure time. Gangs selling drugs target them on streets and parks to lure them into the path of addiction by providing them easy and cheap substances such as ethyl chloride. It is being promoted among teenagers as a source that gives a feeling of ecstasy, happiness and fun."
MoH alerts public, authorities
Dr Amin Al Ameri, assistant undersecretary at the Ministry of Health and Prevention, said that the ministry recently set off the alarm regarding the abuse of ethyl chloride, following complaints from hospitals about the cases of teenagers who came in serious health condition due to inhaling of the gas. The ministry has alerted the authorities concerned to contain this issue and to take serious precautionary measures to curb it. It has also urged the authorities to restrict the sale of such dangerous substances in groceries and supermarkets and has instructed the pharmacies that the spray should not be sold without the guarantee that it will be used for medical purposes.
The ministry also alerted parents to monitor their children, and prevent them from abuse of destructive drugs. It is now taking measures to include ethyl chloride in the list of prohibited substances and to emphasise that it is sold only after ensuring that it is used only for the specified purposes.
Cases increase
Medical sources from Sharjah's Al Qasimi Hospital and Al Kuwaiti Hospital and Ajman's Khalifa Hospital said that these hospitals have recently received a number of teenagers aged between 12 and 17 years, who were in serious health condition. They had symptoms including heart problem, drop in blood circulation, shivering, insomnia, anxiety, severe headache and convulsions. Medical examinations showed that all these disorders were caused because the teenagers had inhaled highly concentrated ethyl chloride, which put them on the brink of death.
Police investigation revealed that these adolescents managed to get ethyl chloride easily and cheap, either on their own or under the encouragement of some of their friends or drug gangs. The teenagers who were interrogated by the police believed that the using of the ethyl chloride would ensure comfort, happiness, and heals stress and depression, especially during the exams.
Police take quick action
In a quick response to the circular issued by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman Police instructed its anti-narcotic departments to monitor the spread of this drug among youths.
Brigadier Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of the Sharjah Police, urged parents, schools and educational institutes in the emirate to cooperate with the police in monitoring the use of these substances among children, adolescents and students, and to tighten supervision on them by immediately reporting any attempt of selling or promoting it.
"In this context, the department of public relations of the Sharjah Police has initiated preparations to launch an awareness campaign through its radio, television and social media platforms. The department will also distribute specialised publications on the seriousness of the phenomenon, in which it will highlight all the dangers of abusing the gas. It will also highlight the cases of adolescents who already lost their lives due to the use of laughter gas. The publication will also instruct families and parents to be vigilant and cautious on watching their children's activities, particularly during the summer vacation," he added.
An official at the anti-narcotic department of the Dubai Police said that there are no addiction cases that have been reported so far. The Dubai Police are coordinating with General Directorate of Anti-Narcotics at the Ministry of Interior and various police departments to investigate and report the incidents of seizure of such substances, to monitor and analyse captured substances, and provide preventive measures to protect children from these dangerous products. "The Dubai Police would arrest teenagers found to be inhaling lethal butane gas or pain killer sprays to get high," he warned.
Colonel Abdullah Saif Al Matroushi, deputy director of operations at the Ajman Police, said they have not received any reports of ethyl chloride addiction. "But the police are aware of the phenomenon. We are taking preventive measures to protect the teenagers. The police also carried out awareness campaigns among students to educate them about the dangers of drugs and the use of these kinds of substances," he added.
Ban for sale to minors
In protective measures taken for young people and adolescents, the Abu Dhabi Health Authority (HAAD) banned the sale of ethyl chloride products to under age persons in all pharmacies operating in the emirate. The authority also requested healthcare practitioners to report any side effects of using these products to the drug vigilance programme in HAAD.
An official at the HAAD said that the authority had received a warning from the health ministry regarding the abuse of spray products containing ethyl chloride. The hospitals in the Capital had reported many cases of children admitted there with complications due to inhaling of the substance.
He explained that the spray products containing ethyl chloride are registered with the ministry and are used as a local anaesthetic to prevent pain caused by injections and minor surgical procedures. It's also used for temporary respite from injuries and minor sports injuries.
No more an OTC drug
Manager of a popular pharmacy chain in Sharjah told Khaleej Times that ethyl chloride was available in all pharmacies as an over the counter medicine earlier. "It was easy to get the spray for Dh60-75 from the pharmacies. But since they received the circular from the ministry, the pharmacies started selling them only to adults, with doctor's prescription."
Saeed Ahmed, a student of American Private Schools in Sharjah, said that his friends of grade 8 and 9 meet in a mall every weekend and they share money to buy the substance. "Teenagers like it because it makes them laugh."
Ahmed Al Sawan, another student, said that he had heard of the substance but never tried it. But boys like it because they think it's a fun and don't consider it as a drug with serious side effects.
- afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE