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Nitrous oxide, a key substance for "Happy Balloons", will be banned in South Korea as hallucinogen to stop young people from using it as a party drug in the open.
A revised presidential decree, approved at a cabinet meeting, listed toluene, ethyl acetate, methyl alcohol, nitrous oxide as hallucinogenic substances, according to the Environment Ministry.
Inhaling such substances from balloons, adhesives and paint thinners will be banned. Violaters faces a maximum jail sentence of three years or a fine of up to 50 million won (44,743 US dollars). "We will aggressively work to prevent health-threatening situations by chemical substances," the ministry said in a statement.
Sales and possession of nitrous gas, or laughing gas, for inhalation is banned while the substance will be available for medical purposes and food processing ingredients in whipped cream. The colorless, sweet-tasting gas has been mainly used medically as anesthetic or painkiller.
The new decree comes amid growing health concerns about the excessive use of laughing gas openly as a party drug among young people to get high at parties and other social occasions. Users get an intense feeling of euphoria, similar to taking a "snort" of cocaine.
Short-term side effects can include headaches, dizziness, and unconsciousness, Experts say overuse can lead to oxygen deprivation, and the British government has restricted the unauthorized use of nitrous oxide since May 2016.
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