Dubai: Police will arrest people who inhale butane gas, a police official said.
An intensive campaign will be launched to curb this new problem in Dubai where minors are found to be inhaling lethal gas such as butane to get high.
This criminal act is "alien to our culture and society", said Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Humaid Al Merri, Director of the Criminal Investigations Division of Dubai Police.
"Any minor found inhaling butane will be arrested and anyone found holding such containers will be questioned by our current patrol units," he said.
‘Sad loss'
He was commenting following the death of a 17-year-old British high school graduate at a party in Jumeirah.
Last Thursday, the operations room of Dubai Police received a call at 10pm about a boy who fell unconscious at a graduation party. Police and an ambulance unit found the boy had already died due to an overdose of butane.
The forensic report which came out yesterday stated his blood was concentrated with this gas. It had directly hit the brain's breathing function. He had two containers in his back pack, he said.
"It's a sad loss to see a 17 year old die in such circumstances. We deeply sympathise with the boy's parents who were greatly devastated by their son's loss," said Lt Col Al Merri who called on parents to be more vigilant.
Following a minor argument with a friend at the party, Anton Tahmasian grabbed a liquefied gas container from his backpack and inhaled large amounts of it. In a few minutes he collapsed.
"It is not a common practice but it will be unless we intensify our awareness campaigns and patrol units. Teenagers must realise that inhaling such gases is like choosing to kill themselves deliberately.
"A car recently caught fire after a group of teenagers were storing and using butane. A spark caused the vehicle to catch fire but fortunately no one was injured," he said.
"We will arrest any minor for abusing butane as they are endangering their lives and in certain cases the safety of others," added Lt Col Al Merri.
Almost 2,000 people joined an online group on the social network, Facebook, to express their love for Anton and give condolences to his family.
