3059/2025/WEB 'Public order, health and crime issues related to nitrous oxide: A Dutch perspective'

The aim of this webinar is to introduce law enforcement and judicial officials into the phenomenon of recreational use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and its public order, health and crime issues as seen from a Dutch perspective. 

By the end of this webinar, the audience will be able to:

• Describe what is nitrous oxide, its history and its different uses;
• Describe the scope of problems related to nitrous oxide as seen in the Netherlands;
• Describe the use of nitrous oxide as a recreational drug;
• List the legal instruments and the approach used to address the problems related to nitrous oxide as seen in the Netherlands before it became banned in 2023;
• List the scope of the problems and the challenges faced by law enforcement related to nitrous oxide in the Netherlands since its listing as an illicit drug in January 2023;  
• Formulate a possible envisioned European approach to address problems related to nitrous oxide.

EMPACT training activity - EMPACT Drugs trafficking training resource

Combatting new forms of organised crime requires more cooperation between police and gendarmes, customs officers, border guards, judges, and prosecutors. EU institutions, agencies and Member States work together to tackle organised and serious international crime through a permanent and key instrument: the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).

CEPOL plays a crucial role in the EMPACT mechanism through the provision of specialised training and the identification of training needs within each common security threat. Every year, CEPOL provides a comprehensive training package for each common EU crime priority consisting of onsite, online and exchange training activities.

Check more of CEPOL's EMPACT training activities here.