REALLY? You Need to be 21+ to Buy Whipped Cream in the Hudson Valley?

Is this really a law?

This time of year many of us choose to end a long hot summer day by enjoying a nice scoop or two of ice cream, it's one of life's little pleasures!!! Sometimes if we are feeling adventurous, we might even make ourselves a big fat ice cream sundae with all the fixin's but if whipped cream is something you like with ice cream you might need to show proof of age to buy it.

You Could be Asked for I.D. to Buy Whipped Cream

I must have missed the passing of the law but according to the New York Senates website as of July 2020, law "S.5151" prohibits "the sale of whipped cream chargers, also known as whippits, whippets, or whip-its to persons under the age of twenty-one".

Reddi Whip

One of the most popular brands of canned whipped cream is Reddi Whip and the next time you go to the grocery store to purchase don't be surprised if the cashier asks you to show your state-issued identification to prove you are 21 or older. Whipped cream sold in plastic containers like Cool Whip isn't included in the law.

The law was brought to the Senate in 2019 after many New York residents complained that some people were using the cans of whipped cream for the wrong reasons and leaving the empty containers all over New York communities.

Laughing Gas

Certain cans of whipped cream are filled with nitrous oxide which some people use as an "over-the-counter inhalant". Once the gas is inhaled it has euphoric effects on the user. According to the NYS website, it is illegal for anyone to use nitrous oxide for "purposes of intoxication" and if caught, they could be charged with a class A misdemeanor.

The law was sponsored by NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. who said "Nitrous oxide is a legal chemical for legitimate professional use but when used improperly, it can be extremely lethal. Sadly, young people buy and inhale this gas to get ‘high’ because they mistakenly believe it is a ‘safe’ substance. We need to eliminate access to this dangerous substance for our youth."

Most of us have been asked for ID to purchase cigarettes and alcohol in the past but is there something you've been "proofed" for? Call or text us through the Wolf country app.