Colchester nitrous oxide use in teenagers causes alarm

Chief Inspector Rob Huddleston, Colchester’s district commander, made the grim prediction while echoing a councillor’s concerns over the use of the drug.

A meeting of Colchester Council’s crime and disorder panel heard figures on offences in the borough, with Mr Huddleston reporting incidents of anti-social behaviour had fallen by 53.7 per cent over a 12 month period.

Colchester councillor Mike Hogg, who represents St Anne's and St John's, said he found it difficult to accept the figure.

He said he received frequent complains about teenagers gathering around play areas in his ward, consuming nitrous oxide, beer and vodka.

Holding the distinctive cannister aloft, he said: “We all know what these are – I could pick a bucket of those up every day around my area.

“These are teenagers, these are not in any way adults.”

He said teenagers are getting high on nitrous oxide and drunk on vodka, before smashing bottles all over playgrounds.

“That happens week after week after week,” he said.

“That is the priority on the ground from residents I represent, because that’s the complaints I get.

“I honestly do believe soon we’re going to have a death of a teenager whose gotten high on nitrous oxide, mixed it with vodka and slipped away.”

Mr Huddleston said his officers must work with the council’s licensing teams to stem young people’s access to alcohol.

He said he had seen a recent news interview conducted with a young woman who was left paralysed by her use of nitrous oxide.

“I agree, I don’t doubt at some point we will see a death,” he added.

“We need to get some legislation in place to prevent the sale of those items unless they’re licensed and the person buying them is licensed.”

He called on Colchester residents to report any instances of drug use to the police online.

He said: “Only by getting those reports on a regular basis do we get the information.”