City Council

4.\nORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF NITROUS OXIDE\nAND DETERMINATION THAT THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM CEQA – F2M25-7,\nO2M26-4856\nOn October 27, 2025, Councilmember Maza requested more information about the\nincrease in nitrous oxide related arrests by the Alhambra Police Department (APD), the\nsale of nitrous oxide in the City and a draft Ordinance to regulate the sale of nitrous oxide.\nThere was full support from the Council on this request. Nitrous oxide, commonly known\nas “laughing gas” or “whippets,” has become a growing public health and safety concern\nin Alhambra and throughout California. The APD, along with communities across the\nnation, have seen an increase in arrests and incidents related to the sale of nitrous oxide.\nCurrently, there are 5 authorized smoke shops in the City of Alhambra, of those, one is\nnot open to the public and APD has found the 4 remaining sell nitrous oxide, presumably\nfor recreational use. California Penal Code § 381b prohibits possession or use of nitrous\noxide for intoxication, and the recreational sale of nitrous oxide is not harmless. Short-\nterm effects include disorientation, nausea, blackouts, and impaired motor control-creating\nimmediate risk to users and the public, particularly when combined with driving. Chronic\nmisuse poses even more serious consequences including brain damage, irreversible\nnerve damage, paralysis, cognitive impairment, and even death. Due to the public safety\nrisk, there has been an increase in Southern California jurisdictions adopting ordinances\nprohibiting the sale, distribution and recreational use of nitrous oxide, including the cities\nof; Rialto, Bell, Huntington Beach, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Fullerton and\nCounty of Orange.\nRecommended Action:\nCity Council declare introduced for its first reading the\nfollowing ordinance entitled:\nOrdinance No. O2M26-4856: An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of\nAlhambra, California, amending Title IX (Public Peace and Safety) of the\nAlhambra Municipal Code to include Chapter 9.19 (Prohibition on Sale or\nDistribution of Nitrous Oxide) and determining adoption of this Ordinance is\nexempt from CEQA\nwhich ordinance will return for a second reading and adoption the next regular\nCity Council meeting.