‘Whippits’ ban? San Mateo County supervisors to discuss prohibiting the sale of nitrous oxide

(KRON) — The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors will consider banning the sale of nitrous oxide products, commonly known as “whippits,” at Tuesday’s meeting.

Whippets are a form of inhalant, which customers can currently buy at smoke shops in unincorporated areas of San Mateo County, according to the board of supervisors agenda. Inhalants, the DEA says, are “invisible, volatile substances found in common household products that produce chemical vapors that are inhaled to induce psychoactive or mind-altering effects.”

Supervisor David Canepa and Ray Mueller are scheduled to introduce an ordinance aimed at banning the sale and distribution of nitrous oxide sold for inhalation in San Mateo County.

“Children are abusing nitrous oxide,” Canepa said in a statement Monday. “… The data shows misuse and abuse of nitrous oxide or [whippits] can cause serious and potentially life-threatening health complications that negatively impact a user’s physical and psychological health. Despite the dangers of nitrous oxide abuse, recreational use has been rising rapidly among youth across the world and that’s why we are addressing this with urgency.”

According to the FDA, nitrous oxide products are sold in canisters, tanks, or chargers and marketed as flavored or unflavored food-processing propellant used to dispense products like whipped cream.

“Intentional misuse or inhalation of contents can lead to serious adverse health events, including death,” the FDA website reads.

The National Library of Medicine states that “prolonged use of nitrous oxide can have disabling neurological sequelae due to functional inactivation of vitamin B12.”

If passed, the ordinance any person found in violation of the ordinance could be found guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine or up to 6 months in county jail. Businesses found in violation of the law could face revocation of Tobacco Retailer Permits and business licenses.

The law would still permit the sale of nitrous oxide as a food propellant, to enhance vehicle performance, for the purpose of medical or dental care, for research and development and other legal exemptions.