§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to make the sale of butane gas canisters to minors illegal; what information he has as to the extent of butane gas sniffing; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PattieIf the Government banned the sale of butane gas cannisters to minors, they would simply turn to other products which are just as harmful. Sniffing gas cannisters tends to be confined to hardened sniffers, but, like most solvent sniffing, it appears to be on the increase. The answer I believe lies in educating young people as to the folly of sniffing and parents and teachers to watch for the tell-tale signs, and by prohibiting the sales of sniffable products if the purchasers appear to be buying them to sniff.