"Balloons with nitrous oxide, a harmful substance", Xixho: It gives hallucinations and feelings of paranoia!

The Vice President of the Freedom Party, Erisa Xixho, has raised concerns about the use of nitrous oxide balloons by young people, as she stated that the publication on social networks of young people using these drugs is unfortunately only the tip of the iceberg, while she emphasized that the phenomenon has been present there for a long time

In a statement to the media, Xixho stated that the legal vacuum must be filled, classifying this gas as harmful to the health of young people and prohibiting its use except for medical purposes.

The PL vice president stated that this gas slows down the psychomotor reaction and can cause hallucinations, severe headaches and feelings of paranoia.

She said that this gas is freely traded in the bars of Tirana, even accompanied by a bill, and that this drug, which endangers the health and life of children and young people, is taxed the same as other products.

The full statement of the vice president of the Freedom Party:

For several weeks, the concern of some new types of drug addicts, whose prey our children are falling into daily, has been raised in the media. The publication on social networks of young people who use these drugs is unfortunately only the tip of the iceberg. The phenomenon has been present there for a long time and proves the failure of special state structures in its prevention.

In particular, concern for the health of young people and children has become tolumbacets with dinitrogen monoxide. The use of this gas is widely observed among high school students (not excluding 9-year schools here) and students, who often fall prey to the abuse of its quantity. On October 7, 2023, the first case of a 15-year-old youth was reported, who went to the hospital in a serious condition, as a result of consuming dinitrogen monoxide balloons.

The Freedom Party has strongly requested the commissions to fill the legal vacuum, classifying this gas as harmful to the health of young people and prohibiting its use except for medical purposes.

After cannabis and ketamine, this gas recently turned out to be one of the most abused substances among 16- to 24-year-olds in the world. This gas slows the psychomotor response and can cause hallucinations, severe headaches and feelings of paranoia. Its frequent use can cause heart problems, suffocation and nerve damage, and if overdosed, it can lead to paralysis or death.

Currently, this gas is traded freely in the premises of Tirana, and is even accompanied by a bill. This drug, which endangers the health and life of children and young people, is taxed in the same way as other products. Traders of this risk operate freely because there is no legal basis on which to take action. Actions in bars and other environments around schools become void in the absence of a legal basis.

Under these conditions, we have addressed the Parliament with a request to change the law on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. We have requested the amendment of the law and the creation of a legal basis for the prohibition of the production, distribution and trade of monoskid nitrogen, classifying it as a high-risk substance that is used only in medicine.

It is necessary to follow the example of other countries, which have understood in time the danger of this substance and have made it illegal. Great Britain from next month will have effective the law that prohibits this subject and punishes its dealers with up to 14 years in prison.

While emigration shrinks the number of young people in Albania every day, we will not allow the health and life of those who are growing up to be put at risk!

In the latest FDI Intelligence report, Albania is the only country outside Africa for the highest level of brain drain, ranking 8th globally in 2022.

Based on the necessity of such a law to protect children and young people, we request the urgent introduction of this amendment into the agenda. No one can make a profit by poisoning the youth of this country.

Therefore, it is urgent to discuss this draft law in the session and approve it as soon as possible, without dragging it into the parliamentary bureaucracies.

We must act today, as the health of Albanian children must be a priority!