Lighter Refills Containing Butane Gas and Intoxicating Solvents
 ‘Intoxicating Solvents’… means solvent based glue, aerosols, dry cleaning fluid, correction fluid and thinner, marker pens, ‘cold start’, anti-freeze etc. Every week at least one person dies from sniffing solvents. Over half of the deaths are caused by sniffing butane lighter refills so the government introduced a total ban on their sales to under 18s. Solvents cause more deaths every year to under 16’s than all hard drugs. |
What are the restrictions?
The Cigarette Lighter Refill (Safety) Regulations 1999
It is illegal to sell any cigarette lighter refill canister containing butane or a substance with butane as a constituent, to a person under the age of 18.
Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985
It is illegal to sell substances to persons under 18 or to a person buying on behalf of someone under 18, if you know or think that the substance, or its fumes will be inhaled for the purpose of “getting high”.
Special attention should be paid to young persons -
- buying volatile substances and nothing else
- buying plastic bags at the same time as volatile substances
- displaying signs similar to drunkenness
- with spots and sores around mouth and nose.
Penalties:
The maximum penalty for selling cigarette lighter fuel, glue, aerosols etc. is up to 6 months imprisonment, or a fine of £5,000, or both.