New York's whipped cream charger law requires proof of age

Authored by timesunion.com and submitted by MountainNearby4027
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Be prepared to show your ID at the grocery checkout if you want to buy whipped cream in a canister.

In New York, the popular dessert topping has joined alcohol and tobacco products on the list of items age-restricted for purchase to those 21 and older, and proof of age is now required at the point of sale.

The chargers that propel whipped cream through a canister nozzle are filled with nitrous oxide gas, which can be inhaled to produce a high. The inhalant has long been a popular recreational drug – called "whippets" – among teenagers due to the availability of whipped cream canisters at grocery and convenience stores.

Because of this, the state prohibited the sale of whipped cream chargers to those under the age of 21 last November. The chargers themselves can be purchased for use in refillable whipped cream dispensers, but most people likely will notice enforcement of the law when they buy whipped cream packaged in a canister.

The legislation was passed after being sponsored by Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Queens) who emphasized the dangers of recreational use of nitrous oxide, also known as "laughing gas," after seeing the effect of the inhalant in neighborhoods throughout his district.

“Sadly, young people buy and inhale this gas to get ‘high’ because they mistakenly believe it is a ‘safe’ substance. This law will eliminate easy access to this dangerous substance for our youth,” Addabbo said in a provided statement.

While the bill was signed into effect almost a year ago, signs stating the restriction and I.D. checks have only recently popped up in the Capital Region. The lag is likely due to an issue with the tracking of the law, according to Kent Sopris, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores.

Sopris said he became aware of the law's enactment about two months ago and immediately let members know so they could begin enforcing it at stores.

"I think that there is some sort of reporting mechanism that just didn't go the way it was supposed to," he said. "We had been tracking the bill last year and when I looked in the bill tracking file, there is just no indication that it was signed."

In testing the purchase of whipped cream canisters at Capital Region grocery stores on Thursday, one Hannaford store required I.D. at self-checkout while a Price Chopper location did not. Mona Golub, vice president of public relations at Price Chopper, said that all self-checkout machines will be updated to flag whipped cream cans as age-restricted products beginning on Sept. 1. Price Chopper cashiers, she said, have already begun requiring identification for these sales.

Meanwhile, a Stewart’s Shops cashier said they have been strict about asking individuals for I.D. when ringing up the canisters at the counter.

According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, inhaling nitrous oxide can cause heart attack, psychosis, psychological dependence and even sudden death. Due to the inhalant’s short-lasting high, individuals often inhale the gas repeatedly – increasing the risk of injury or death.

Read more about the bill prohibiting whipped cream charger sales to individuals under the age of 21 on the New York Senate website.

Hoth_Frost on August 27th, 2022 at 02:21 UTC »

Just get into model building and don't open the windows.

BenevolentNihilist1 on August 27th, 2022 at 02:16 UTC »

I've received ads on facebook for "whipped cream cartridges" to put in "whipped cream dispensers".

JosephMeach on August 27th, 2022 at 02:10 UTC »

Outsmart the govt by checking out with heavy cream and a whisk