There has been confusion in New York supermarkets for the past few days. Customers are puzzled as to why they are asked for their ID at the checkout. You have neither cigarettes nor alcohol in your shopping cart. It’s the spray whipped cream that makes them suspicious. A law that was passed nine months ago in the US state has been in effect since this week: Only those who are at least 21 years old can buy spray cream.
This is not due to the high sugar content and dietary regulations. The culprit is the nitrous oxide in the cream cartridges, better known as laughing gas. More and more young people get a “legal high” from it, also in Europe. So if you notice that your teenage sister, cousin or your own child is suddenly ordering suspiciously large quantities of cream cartridges on the Internet, you now know. The kick only lasts about as long as a spoonful of whipped cream in your mouth – after inhaling you feel foggy and euphoric for about 30 seconds.
The president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores doesn’t find it funny: “The requirement for proof of age when buying whipped cream is another burden for supermarkets,” says Kent Sopris.
His frustration is understandable. Especially with a view to other dangers lurking in the home. If you are very strict, the nutmeg could also disappear behind the grille next to the cigarettes. A spoonful of the spice is more euphoric than the best mashed potatoes. Intoxicating substances can also be found in nail polish, nasal spray and grout cleaner. Even sniffing deodorant spray is dangerous. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the sale of deodorant to young people remains legal. It would be good for all of us.