The UC Santa Cruz Police Department warned the campus community this week of the dangers of the recreational use of nitrous oxide, after seizing a large volume of unused tanks containing what’s commonly referred to as laughing gas in a forested area on campus earlier this month.
Police say after receiving a tip about the tanks on May 2, officers located 40 canisters of the gas, which they said “appeared to be recently staged and unused.” The department estimates that if the tanks were distributed as “individual ‘hits’’ recreationally they could be worth an estimated street value of more than $40,000.
Nitrous oxide is often used in medical or dental settings to relieve pain but has also been used in party settings or recreationally. When used in excess, nitrous oxide can lead to health risks including loss of consciousness, brain damage, infertility and even death.
Chief Kevin Domby said in a statement that the department believes whoever brought them to campus intended to distribute them there.
“There is no doubt that these tanks were brought onto campus with the intent to distribute this substance to individuals who may not fully understand the dangers of nitrous oxide inhalation,” he said.
UCSC officials say the university’s Environmental Health and Safety department and the police department are safely disposing of the canisters, which will cost the campus several thousand dollars.
UCSC spokesperson Scott Hernandez-Jason and Domby didn’t answer questions including about how they’re disposing of the nitrous oxide, if they’re concerned about use on campus and how many, if any, calls they’ve received for nitrous oxide abuse. But Hernandez-Jason confirmed that the police are investigating the case.
“UC Santa Cruz is committed to promoting a safe learning environment, and we want to make sure our community is aware of the inherent dangers of using nitrous oxide as a recreational drug,” Hernandez-Jason wrote via email.
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FOR THE RECORD: This story was updated to include additional information from UCSC officials.
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