The sale of laughing gas is to be banned in stores under further legislation as the government makes possession of it a criminal offence. 

Levelling up secretary Michael Gove announced the ban on the gas, nitrous oxide, on Sky News. The psychoactive gas is used to fill balloons for inhalation, but can also power whipped-cream chargers. 

Gove said it would be banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act, but did not specify whether it would be a class A, B or C drug.