"Laughing gas trade is a market for cowboys"

The hilarious gas destined for the party invades more and more the Dutch market. The use of nitrous oxide in whipped cream has been known for some time, but NOS on 3 research shows that sales of hilarious fuel tanks are also increasing. The essence of laughter is popular in the entertainment circuit as a party drug.

Pubs, shisha salons and festivals in particular sell balloons to large tanks, which they buy from middlemen. Trade in nitrous oxide is legal for everyone since 2016. There is only one problem: it is difficult for traders to acquire vast stocks of nitrous oxide. This creates a somewhat obscure world.

Tips of traders

The major Dutch manufacturers are following the advice of the Association of Industrial Gas Manufacturers not to deliver at the party. They do not break the laws, but do not want to be associated with them. "It's dangerous if you do too much and do not control how people use it," says Marcel de Groote of Westfalen Gassen. "We want corporate social responsibility and do not want to take advantage of it."

Nevertheless, traders try it. "We get phone calls from traders who are trying to get rid of the essence of laughter through tricks," says Lex van Leeuwen of Linde Gas. For example, pretending to use it for large amounts of whipped cream. Manufacturers have installed a check to verify the so-called end-user statement. Customers must explain what they do with the gas.