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Commission hears resident concerns about discarded nitrous‑oxide canisters; staff to coordinate with PD and code enforcement
Summary
Commissioners heard residents report discarded nitrous‑oxide ("Whip‑It") canisters on streets — which can cause motorists to swerve if run over — and directed staff to work with police and code enforcement. A resident said a local smoke shop is selling the cartridges; a separate council meeting was scheduled to consider the business.
Commissioners heard public and commissioner comments about improperly discarded nitrous‑oxide canisters (commonly sold under brand names such as "Whip‑It") in several districts and directed staff to coordinate with police and code enforcement to investigate.
A commissioner described a recurring public‑safety nuisance in District 4 near the Old French Cafe and said staff had received photographs showing canisters on roadways. The commissioner noted similar reports from District 3 and District 5.
Public speaker Brandon Takayama told commissioners the canisters are being sold at a Whittier Boulevard smoke shop (identified in the meeting as Jungle Smoke Shop) and said students sometimes purchase and consume the product before school; he reported large numbers of empty canisters on residential blocks and said a resident ran over a pressurized canister that caused a loud bang and risked causing a loss of vehicle control.
Commissioners described the issue as both a public‑safety and nuisance matter and directed staff to work with the police department and code enforcement to investigate sales and street littering and to monitor trouble spots. Staff said the matter would be examined further; Brandon Takayama told the commission the city council had continued a special meeting on the smoke shop and would return to that matter at a scheduled hearing (the speaker identified October 8 as the next hearing date).
