GIVEN the miserable economic situation the Conservative government has left the UK in, you wouldn’t think they’d NEED to ban laughing. None of this is funny.
But thanks to an embarrassing Twitter blunder from one Tory MP, maybe Westminster could take away that very human trait from us ...
Responding to Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove’s confirmation that laughing gas cannisters will be banned in an effort to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, Mark Garnier, the MP for Wyre Forest, made a glaring omission.
“Delighted to see laughing to be banned,” he tweeted in full Orwellian fashion.
Delighted to see laughing to be banned. It’s not just the antisocial behaviour - it’s the human tragedy of harm to long term users. https://t.co/wyPRYFmecm
— Mark Garnier (@Mark4WyreForest) March 26, 2023
“It’s not just the antisocial behaviour – it’s the human tragedy of harm to long-term users.”
Now we know people don’t tend to like their laughter lines, but they’re surely not that harmful to your health …
Shortly after, Garnier added: “Apologies! Of course I meant to say ‘delighted to see laughing gas banned!’.”
But the damage was already done.
“Freud would have a lot to say about this,” tweeted one researcher.
“I have to say that is very on brand for this government,” added Paulo Alessandro.
“Next General Election manifesto just leaked,” wrote James Chalmers.
And the replies just kept rolling in.
READ MORE: Michael Gove's awkward answer to question about Nicola Sturgeon's biggest achievement
Despite the entertaining blunder, experts have been warning that the laughing gas ban won’t stop young people from using the substance.
An assessment by the independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) had recently concluded it would be disproportionate to bring in an outright ban.
The Drug Science Scientific Committee is among the groups criticising the “same old tired drug policy” by the Government.
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