“Whippets” seized in Lowndes County
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A morning traffic stops ends with cans of whipped cream chargers, also known as “whippets,” seized in Lowndes County.
According to the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, when deputies searched the vehicle per probable cause during the traffic stop, they found a misdemeanor quantity of marijuana, a firearm with extended magazines, and a number of cherry flavored Crown Gas cans.
Sheriff Eddie Hawkins said the individuals admitted to using the Crown product, which contains nitrous oxide as a “whippet.”
The traffic stop happened on Highway 45 on Sunday, August 16.
Whippets involve inhaling nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, to produce a short-lived high. Officials say the practice can pose serious health risks, like addiction and oxygen deprivations.
LCSO said they see this happen often with the youth, and deputies advise parents to have conversations with their children about the dangers of the product.
Hawkins said four teens were involved in the incident.
“There is no age restriction, so any child can walk into one of these convenient stores that’s selling this stuff and purchase it across the counter. So, parents, school-teachers, authorities, need to be on the lookout for this kind of stuff. And when they see a child with it, start asking questions, ‘What are they doing, who they are hanging with, what’s going on in their life’ to make sure they are not misusing these kinds of products,” said Hawkins.
Other local law agencies like the Nettleton Police Department have also seen an uptick in the use of whippets.
