Police in Hampshire and the Thames Valley are trialling a cutting-edge nitrous oxide breathalyser, believed to be the first of its kind in the world.
The device is being tested to see if it can detect whether a driver is under the influence of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas or NOS.
If successful, it could help police prosecute motorists for drug driving offences.
Nitrous oxide is a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and offenders can face up to two years in prison for possessing it for unlawful use.
Police say driving under the influence of nitrous oxide is an emerging threat on the roads. Its use can cause unconsciousness, neurological damage, or death from suffocation caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain.
The device has been created by Respira Technologies following research at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. It allows a user to breathe into a portable device and receive a result within minutes. Crucially, it can detect whether someone has inhaled nitrous oxide up to two hours afterwards.
Officers across Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police will test the device until the 5th of June, after securing Test and Learn funding through the National Science and Innovation Board.
Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said:
“It is an honour for our Force to host the world-first trial of this breathalyser device and adds an important extra tool to combat dangerous drivers for our Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit.
“There is a worrying trend around the use of laughing gas by those aged 16-25, which was previously undetectable, with drivers under the influence of nitrous oxide putting themselves and others at risk of serious injury or death.
“We are seeing too many incidents with major consequences on our roads, and it is a proud moment for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police to lead the way for the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, in tackling this.”
Police say officers have already seen deaths linked to drivers under the influence of NOS.
In 2023, three teenagers died when a car crashed into a tree on the A415 in Oxfordshire. The 18-year-old driver had been filmed inhaling laughing gas moments before the crash.
Acting Superintendent Emma Hart said:
“There is currently no device available that can prove a driver inhaled laughing gas, making prosecution difficult. That is why our forces are leading this testing phase, to break new ground and prove these devices can help save lives on our roads.
“It’s an extremely important technological innovation and we are at the forefront of this cutting-edge research for the benefit of all UK policing.”
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