Laughing gas ‘legal high’ to be transformed into art project

Potentially lethal laughing gas cylinders discarded by drug users in Salford are being transformed into a community art project.

Greater Manchester Police have been collecting the drug paraphernalia left behind on the city’s streets and parks in a bid to teach young people about the dangers of the ‘legal high’, which is also known as nitrous oxide or ‘hippy crack’.

Local officers in Salford have teamed up with Salix Homes and Beechfarm Residents Association to run an art project for residents living on the Beechfarm Estate in Swinton using hundreds of the discarded cylinders.

The abuse of nitrous oxide, which can cause dizziness, nerve damage and even death when inhaled, is becoming an ever more prevalent problem among children and young people.

As part of the art project, the community will use the laughing gas cylinders to create decorative tiles to go on display in community garden Margaret’s Garden on Kingsley Road.

PC Iain Fletcher, neighbourhood beat officer in Swinton, said: “Laughing gas cylinders can be purchased very cheaply on the internet and while it’s not illegal to buy them the side effects can potentially be lethal and even if they feel okay now, they know don’t what long-term damage they may be causing.

“We hope this arts project will help us educate the young people in Salford that the abuse of nitrous oxide is not as safe as they may think it is.”

The project, which will run during the summer holidays, is being funded thanks to a £750 grant from Salix Homes throughour ‘Your Salix, Your Say’ fund, which provides funding to projects and initiatives that will help improve neighbourhoods.

It’s not the first time that the Swinton community has found a novel use for drugs paraphernalia – last year they recycled and decorated cannabis plant pots recovered during a drugs raid which were used to brighten up the estate.

Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: “Last year’s cannabis plant pot project was a big success, so we are proud to be able to support this initiative once again and help educate young people in our communities about the dangers of this so-called ‘legal high’.

“Drug abuse causes a blight in our communities and the mis-use of laughing gas is a big problem at the moment, so we hope this arts project will make young people aware of the dangers and help us turn a negative into a positive by putting the remnants of drug abuse to good use.” For more information or support about drugs got to www.talktofrank.com