Here’s why under 21s can’t buy whipped cream in New York

For underage citizens in New York, trying to buy a can of whipped cream will be just as difficult as buying a bottle of alcohol. Bizarrely, a new law passed in the bustling city strictly prohibits the sale of the cream – which is mainly used for dessert purposes – to teens.

According to reports, the law was enforced after a spike in the use of inhalants by teens who have turned to inhale the nitrous oxide inside the can.

New York passes bill stop under 21s from buying canned whipped cream

People under the age of 21 will no longer be able to walk into a store and purchase canned whipped cream in New York.

This is after a new law was passed to stop the sale of the dessert product to teens who are using it as an inhalant because of its nitrous oxide content.

According to Business Insider, approximately 1 in 5 young people started using inhalants by the time they reach eighth grade.

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The dangers of a household product

“Inhalants are invisible, volatile substances found in common household products that produce chemical vapours that are inhaled to induce psychoactive or mind-altering effects,” according to a US Drug Enforcement Administration factsheet.

Teens who use whipped cream for the high are calling it whippits which according to the DEA can “cause damage to the parts of the brain that control thinking, moving, vision, and hearing.”

The whippits problem first came to light after people started complaining about the number of empty cans that were littered the streets.

It was then found that children were using the product to get high while thinking it was a safer alternative to other drugs.