Avoiding Action Putting off Responsibility Re: Criminalising misuse of nitrous oxide

Dear Editor,
The questions should be:
* Is recreational use of Nitrous Oxide harmful to person who uses it?
* Are the people who use Nitrous Oxide likely to harm others?
The answer is yes – the people who Nitrous Oxide are likely to harm themselves as well as others.

Now the next question is whether punitive action should be taken to deter people from using Nitrous Oxide for recreation?
Why should Nitrous Oxide recreational use be treated differently from other substances used (read Abused) for recreational purposes?
Where is the evidence that educating people about harms caused other recreational substances has done any good to people who are inclined to use (Abuse) those substances?
And then why punish anyone for any bad deed? Just counsel them and reform them!
I used to hear an axiom: Spare the stick and spoil the child – I fear, it has become anachronism.

– Arvind Joshi,
MBBS MD FCGP FAMS FICP.