Overview
- Two forces in southern England, Hampshire & Isle of Wight and Thames Valley, are running live roadside tests of a new device that checks drivers for recent nitrous oxide use.
- The handheld unit, developed by Respira Technologies after research at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, gives a result in minutes and flags inhalation within roughly two hours.
- Officers say the kit fills a key gap because no roadside test could previously prove NOS inhalation, and early operational checks indicate the device is working.
- Police link nitrous oxide misuse to risky driving among young people, including videos posted from behind the wheel, and cite fatal crashes that have heightened public concern.
- Nitrous oxide is a Class C drug in the UK and unlawful possession can bring up to two years in prison, and a successful trial could lead to wider rollout and targeted road‑safety education.