A video has emerged of a man 'inhaling a balloon' surrounded by passengers on a Metrolink tram service. The man is seen holding what appears to be a canister of some sort in his hand as he is seen repeatedly inhaling from the balloon.
The clip was taken on Wednesday evening (July 13) on the Didsbury to Shaw and Crompton service at around 5.30pm. It is not known if he was inhaling nitrous oxide, otherwise known as 'laughing gas', but it is often inhaled through the mouth via a balloon after being released from a canister.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have since said that any form of substance misuse on public transport is 'unacceptable'. They have urged passengers to report issues via the stop call points on board and at stations as they 'crack down' on the problems.
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Kate Green, TravelSafe Partnership Manager at TfGM, said: “Any form of substance misuse on public transport is unacceptable. Passengers can help us crack down on such issues by reporting incidents via the on-board and on stop call points to ensure staff are made aware.
“We realise that not everyone will feel comfortable reporting an incident or crime while still on-board public transport. In this instance, people can report an incident using GMP’s LiveChat service on their smartphone, which enables discreet and real-time access to a call handler. People can, of course, still report a crime by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.”
According to Talk to Frank, the psychoactive substance is a colourless gas that’s most commonly found in pressurised metal canisters. It was just last month that health bosses in Manchester warned of the effects of using nitrous oxide as the summer and festival seasons approach.
Also in June, during the busy Parklife weekend in Manchester, kilos of the gas canisters were seized from festival-goers by police. A huge industrial bin was filled up with the metal canisters, among other drug paraphernalia.
People can become injured from falls or other accidents due to the effects on balance and coordination. It can also cause severe headaches and cause dizziness as well as nausea. Long term use can also lead to nerve damage.
Lesley Jones, Bury’s director of public health, said: “Not all young people know the risks of inhaling nitrous oxide. By staying informed, parents and carers can help young people make the right choices if they ever come into contact with drugs. If you are worried about your child, the best thing you can do is to sit down with them and have a calm and honest chat.”
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