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Miniature silver gas canisters appearing on
pavements in and around Formby
OVER the last 6 months, Formby residents have been
reporting silver gas canisters appearing on pavements and paths around the
village. Since finding one ourselves we have finally tracked down where they may
be coming be from. The finger length canisters contain nitrous oxide, N2O, also
known as laughing gas, they are sold in the street. They are used commonly for
soda siphons, and cream whoppers. It has been found that some whipped cream
dispensers made between 2009 and 2013 are still in circulation. In some cases,
those devices have resulted in the capsules:- "being expelled like a
bullet, at high speed" and have killed people. The most well know victim
was a fitness model called Rebecca Burger, then 33, who died of a cardiac
arrest, after a defective can of whipped cream which had been taken off the
market in 2013, exploded, hitting her on the chest; that occured in France. The
phenomenon of the exploding canisters put many people off using them, but for a
growing number of people, in the UK, these whipped cream dispensers are becoming
popular again. The chances of getting a defective dispenser that can kill you is
extremely low, but always take care if you are using them, keeping it pointed
well away from your face and body, along with those around you. The good news is
also that the gas is not illegal, but nitrous oxide, is more commonly known as:-
'hippy crack' by young people and we have heard reports that some
kids are now trying to use these devices to deliver the gas. If this is true,
this raises many worrying issues. Let's hope this is not revealing anything more
disturbing but the fact that the sudden appearance of these canisters is due to
nothing more than people have been correctly putting the empty cans in the waste
bins, but that as they are so small, they have slipped out when collections are
taking place... We tend to have a knee-jerk reaction to things that look
unusual, and in reality it is probably wrong... But this summer, if you do know
of anyone misusing these canisters, it might be worth reminding them about what
happed to Rebecca Burger, even though when it went wrong for her, she was using
it in the correct way! For more information on this potentially deadly
craze and the effects Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) can have, go to
FRANK.
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