A dangerous party drug is being sold over the counter in shops across Brighton and Hove, The Argus can reveal.

Government safety chiefs have launched an investigation after canisters of nitrous oxide were handed to an undercover reporter posing as a customer in three city stores.

Users suck the laughing gas – nick- named “hippy crack” – from balloons to get a two-minute kick of euphoria.

However inhaling nitrous oxide without oxygen can lead to users suffering brain damage and heart attacks.

In August a teenager from London died after breathing in laughing gas with his friends and in the US an average of 15 people die from the drug every year.

It is illegal to sell nitrous oxide to anyone for inhalation in Britain, although the gas can be used medicinally and for cooking.

We visited three shops in Brighton selling bongs, pipes and other paraphernalia that could be used to take drugs.

At the One Love store in Lewes Road, our reporter asked for “laughing gas” and was handed 24 canisters of nitrous oxide with no questions asked.

The box, which was stored out of sight under the counter, was labelled “whipped cream chargers” and cost £12.50.

Our reporter was also given a leaflet offering to deliver nitrous oxide late at night to addresses in Brighton and surrounding areas.

At Skunkworks in London Road our reporter was sold 24 canisters from under the counter after asking for laughing gas.

And at Smokers Heaven in Queens Road, she was able to buy a box of 10 canisters.

It was only when our reporter asked for nitrous oxide that she was handed the canisters from underneath the counter, after being asked to produce ID proving she was at least 18.

When challenged, the manager of One Love claimed his store had sold the nitrousoxide to be used for whipping cream, despite our reporter asking for laughing gas.

Skunkworks was unavailable for comment, while the manager of Smokers Heaven said: “If they have ID we will sell it to them. I don’t know what they use it for.”

Laughing gas is also available to buy in Brighton and Hove from a number of websites that promise same-day and late night delivery.

Last week police officers intercepted and confiscated a box of nitrous oxide canisters that had been ordered by a University of Sussex student online.

One University of Brighton student told The Argus that young people also buy the drug from catering shops, where it is legally sold for use in cooking.

Both Brighton Catering Supplies in Coombe Road and Sussex Supplies in Littlehampton sell nitrous oxide, with the latter offering to deliver the canisters to addresses in Brighton the next day.

After The Argus informed the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency about the purchases, the safety watchdog said it would launch an investigation.

An MHRA spokesman said: “We will take the appropriate action necessary to safeguard public health.

"Any retailers selling or supplying an unlicensed medicine containing nitrous oxide for inhalation pur- poses, or allowing it to be supplied other than in accordance with a prescription, are in breach of UK medicines regulatory requirements.

"This can carry up to a two year prison sentence and an unlimited fine.”