Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently signed Senate Bill 57, sponsored by state Senator Stephanie Chang, and Senate Bill 58, sponsored by state Senator Joseph Bellino, which together will prohibit the sale of items used to recreationally inhale nitrous oxide if the seller knows they will be used for those purposes.
Nitrous oxide, also sometimes known as “laughing gas,” is used in medicine for its sedative and anesthetic (pain prevention) properties. According to American Addiction Centers, the gas can be misused in the form of whippets (also spelled “whippits”)—small, steel, pressurized canisters containing the gas which are used in pressurized whipped cream dispensers. In general, inhalants such as nitrous oxide and whippets are used more by adolescents and young adults than adults 26 and older. In 2020, 6% of 8th graders, roughly 3% of 10th graders, and approximately 2% of 12 graders surveyed reported to using inhalants in the last 12 months.
“The abuse of nitrous oxide ‘whip-its’ continues to be a problem in Detroit and around the state, leading to serious health impacts, in part because of how widely accessible the cannisters and crackers are. With the governor’s signature, we have taken another important step to prevent nitrous oxide abuse and keep whip-it paraphernalia off shelves and out of people’s hands,” said state Senator Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit). “I am grateful for the support of law enforcement officials as well as the Whippet WipeOut Coalition’s dedication and determination to address whip-it abuse. I appreciate the bipartisan support of my colleagues, our partnership with Sen. Bellino, and Gov. Whitmer for signing the bills,” said Chang.
The new law banning whippets will take effect in mid-June. It will make selling or offering the sale of nitrous oxide paraphernalia a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of 90 days imprisonment, a maximum fine of $5,000, or both. Penalties would be greater for selling devices to minors including imprisonment for up to a full year, a maximum fine of $7,500, or both.
The Whippet WipeOut Campaign was initiated by Frank Venegas, chairman of The Ideal Group, who in early 2020 saw the growing threat of the abuse of the cannisters to the health and safety of the youth of Southwest Detroit. “We are very grateful to Senators Chang and Bellino for their advocacy to limit the distribution of nitrous oxide to our youth who may be unaware of its dangers,” said Venegas. We need to continue to educate our community about the health and environmental threats caused by the misuse of nitrous oxide and develop partnerships to ensure the safe transport, storage and recycling of these containers.”
“People are using charging canisters for the sole purpose of getting high,” said state Senator Joe Bellino (R-Monroe). “These new laws will address the problem by targeting those who are selling these canisters without selling whipping cream or dispensers for a legitimate use — stopping easy access by kids who use this gas like a drug.”
