L.A. makes it a crime for cannabis and tobacco retailers to sell nitrous oxide

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Set us as preferred Santiago Cruz, a junior at Bert Corona Charter High School in Pacoima, hopes to graduate alongside the classmates he grew up with, but worries that some of them may be derailed by nitrous oxide, the odorless gas that is being inhaled by young people and others as an illicit way to get high.He was among several students, supported by the San Fernando Valley Partnership, who appeared before the Los Angeles City Council last week in support of a city ban on the sale and distribution of nitrous oxide by cannabis and tobacco retailers.“When products that can be misused are easy to find in our neighborhoods, a classroom lesson can only do so much,” he said.“Reducing access is a responsibility we all need to share as a community.”The City Council unanimously approved a measure to prohibit the sale and distribution of nitrous oxide by cannabis and tobacco retailers.

The state Legislature passed similar legislation this year, but a key difference is that violation of the state law is an infraction punishable by a fine, while a violation of the city ordinance is a criminal misdemeanor charge, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, six months in jail, or both.Mayor Karen Bass intends to sign the ordinance, which was spearheaded by Councilmembers Imelda Padilla and Eunisses Hernandez.Once signed, it will take about a month to go into effect.

“This is a public health and public safety issue.Nitrous oxide is dangerous, especially in the hands of kids, and far too accessible,” Bass said in a statement.

The city has wrestled with the challenge of restricting the sale and distribution of nitrous oxide for years, amid a rise in deaths linked to abuse of the gas.Usage can also lead to blood clots, asphyxiation, impaired bowel and bladder function and paralysis.Los Angeles officials began discussing a ban afte...