San Mateo County Board of Supervisors to ban nitrous oxide

“This really speaks to the power of the youth voice,” Supervisor Noelia Corzo said. “I’m a younger mom to a 14-year-old, and I had never heard of this and it’s really scary.”

Mateo Garcia, a San Mateo resident and student at the College of San Mateo, spoke on behalf of the Youth Commission and shared the importance of addressing the health threat of nitrous oxide.

“This is a substance that I knew others my age were using, and I knew it had a dangerous level of accessibility in our community,” Garcia said.

Purchasing nitrous oxide with the intent of inhaling it to get high is already considered a misdemeanor in California, but it is permitted for culinary and automotive uses. It is prohibited to be sold to anyone under 18 years of age.

The Youth Commission proposes a policy that includes requiring a 21-year-old age verification for purchase, requiring a specific permit to sell nitrous oxide and banning flavored nitrous oxide products altogether.

“This resolution represents a strong step toward protecting youth in San Mateo County from the dangerous and irreversible health effects associated with nitrous oxide abuse,” Garcia said.

The Board of Supervisors are still working on refining its proposed legislation, which is likely to be considered at its Aug. 26 meeting.

“We not only have a moral and social responsibility to enact legislation, but we really need to inform people of these adverse consequences,” Board President David Canepa said.

Supervisor Ray Mueller shared his experience addressing this concern in his own district.

“I think this is a wonderful thing that we’re doing this,” Mueller said. “The way that nitrous is being sold in our county, that’s been brought to my attention, is really scary.”

Marketing of nitrous oxide is made to appeal to young people, offered in a variety of flavors and sold with balloons as a means to inhale the drug.

Mueller also noted that kratom, the herbal substance that can produce stimulant effects, is also a drug of concern he is paying attention to.

San Mateo County, should they pass a ban, would join others such as Orange County who recently passed a similar ordinance.

Orange County’s ordinance states that violation of the law may result in imprisonment for up to six months and, or a $1,000 fine. Exceptions for the sale include if it is contained in a food product, for enhancement of a vehicle, for medical, pharmaceutical or dental care or in a wholesale capacity without the intention of misuse.