The Bulgarian Parliament has decided against adopting a draft decision to classify nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, as a narcotic substance under the Law on the Control of Narcotic Substances and Precursors. The proposal, put forward by Kornelia Ninova from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and a group of deputies, was not approved.

In a re-vote, the proposal received 68 votes in favor, 31 against, and 65 abstentions. The primary argument against the inclusion was that laughing gas does not meet the criteria to be classified as a drug and thus should not be listed among controlled substances.

Ivaylo Mitkovski from "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) remarked that it is inappropriate to add a substance to such a list if it does not meet the established criteria. Alexander Simidchiev, also from WCC-DB, proposed two potential approaches: either prohibiting the sale of laughing gas under the Health Act or officially declaring it a drug. He criticized the current approach, suggesting that more effective solutions could be adopted by amending the Health Act, including the possibility of criminalizing the substance through further legislative processes.

In 2023, Bulgaria imported over 129,000 kilograms of laughing gas from third countries, with a total value of 407,559 leva, according to former Finance Minister Asen Vassilev. In September, Bulgarian lawmakers mandated that laughing gas should only be used for food production, following changes to the Food Act aimed at banning its sale and use in non-food contexts, such as in disco clubs. The legislation also prohibits the use of nitrous oxide on the premises of nurseries, kindergartens, schools, and playgrounds, as well as in closed public spaces. Food business operators are required to document the use of nitrous oxide as a food additive, with penalties for violations ranging from 800 leva to 12,000 leva, depending on the severity and repetition of the offense. Nitrous oxide, also known as "laughing gas," is commonly used as a propellant in aerosol products like whipped cream.

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