Whoever sells nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to a person under the age of 18, or to a person who does not understand the properties or significance of what has been done, will be punished with imprisonment for up to four years and a fine from five thousand leva to 10 thousand leva. This was decided by the parliament with the adoption of the second reading of amendments to the Criminal Code (CC) unanimously with 161 votes "for".
If the act is committed systematically, the punishment will be imprisonment from one to six years and a fine from 20 thousand leva to 50 thousand leva leva.
Anyone who sells an alcoholic beverage, tobacco product or smokeless tobacco product to a person under the age of 18 will be punished with probation and a fine of two thousand leva to five thousand leva.
Until now, the Criminal Code provided for a fine of up to one thousand leva and probation for selling alcohol to minors, and in the case of systematic commission of the act - imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to three thousand leva.
Initially, "Vazrazhdane" proposed criminalizing the sale of alcohol, tobacco products, smokeless tobacco products or laughing gas to children. Last week, the legal committee adopted the punishment for this act to remain probation, but to increase the fine from five thousand leva to 10 thousand. leva.
During the vote on the amendments today, Tsveta Rangelova from “Vazrazhdane“ explained that the only sanction that commercial establishments have suffered so far is an administrative penalty for the trader. The proposed amendments would affect all sellers, as well as those who sell online, she pointed out. Rangelova called for the adoption of their proposal that the penalty be imprisonment for one to five years and a fine of three thousand leva to five thousand leva, so that this seller cannot get away with a fine and probation.
Georgi Krastev (GERB-SDF) made an editorial correction in the plenary hall to increase the fines for selling alcohol and cigarettes to minors, and to place the sale of laughing gas in a separate paragraph. His proposal was approved with 149 votes in favor, 13 abstentions, and then the entire paragraph was voted unanimously.
Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev also supported the wording proposed by Georgi Krastev. We cannot equate the sale of laughing gas with the sale of cigarettes or alcohol to minors, he said.