Ban on space oil ingredients 'stops drug production'
Henry Tong welcomes the government's proposal to ban all etomidate analogues. File photo: RTHK
The government's latest proposal to ban all synthetic versions of a space oil drug ingredient can effectively prevent the production of different types of the drug, chairman of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health Henry Tong said.
The Security Bureau on Tuesday proposed introducing a generic definition of etomidate analogues under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, empowering law enforcement agencies to ban the trafficking of all etomidate analogues.
Tong told RTHK that he welcomes the bureau's action.
'That's an effective way to prevent criminals from keep creating different space oil drugs,' he said.
Tong also appealed to the government to impose a complete ban on the possession of e-cigarettes, which he said are the 'main and only device' for young people to take the space oil drug.
'If the government can outlaw the possession of any e-cigarettes in Hong Kong, that sends a very clear message to all the people that e-cigarette itself, the device itself, is illegal and dangerous,' he said.
Tong also said many students became drug users due to various reasons, such as coming from broken families, suffering mental stress or having been bullied by other students.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
Push for more HK inclusion in China IOMed quota
Push for more HK inclusion in China IOMed quota Paul Lam says the SAR administration will seek support from the central government for Hong Kong talent to be included in China's quota of mediators. File photo: RTHK Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said on Saturday he hopes more Hong Kong talent can play arbitration roles once the International Organisation of Mediation (IOMed) becomes fully operational as the city will do well in handling civil and commercial disputes. Speaking on a radio programme, he said mediator quotas have been set for each participating nation and that the government will push for Hong Kong talent to be appointed as part of the allocation for China. There will be two lists for mediators, Lam added, one for handling disputes between countries and the other for dealing with civil and commercial disputes. "It would be difficult for us to handle disputes between countries, but Hong Kong is good at the latter," he said. "We have talent in the field, so we [the government] will seek support from our nation to pick people from Hong Kong to be appointed into the list," he said. "Our nation has a lot of outstanding talent in mediation, not just Hongkongers, but at least we have to fight for our opportunities." Lam said 33 nations have signed up to join IOMed and that each member can nominate and pick mediators depending on the nature of the case. Hong Kong's winning the right to host IOMed's headquarters shows respect for the city's capability to be a centre for international services, he added, and that member nations recognise the strengths of the SAR. Lam also said renovation work at the old Wan Chai police station, which is to be the site of the headquarters for IOMed, is in the finishing stages and that its preparatory office will take over the venue soon. Meanwhile, he added, lot of explanation work has to be done to make clear Hong Kong's situation to the world, despite the city being highly competitive globally. When asked about his recent trip to the Netherlands, France and Italy to attract more European law institutions to set up offices in the SAR, Lam said progress had been made but that more effort was needed. He added that a lot of these organisations had been focused on development in western European countries in the past but were currently seeking recognition from the Asia-Pacific in order to follow the global trend.
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
Push for more HK inclusion in China IOMed quota
Push for more HK inclusion in China IOMed quota Paul Lam says the SAR administration will seek support from the central government for Hong Kong talent to be included in China's quota of mediators. File photo: RTHK Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said on Saturday he hopes more Hong Kong talent can play arbitration roles once the International Organisation of Mediation (IOMed) becomes fully operational as the city will do well in handling civil and commercial disputes. Speaking on a radio programme, he said mediator quotas have been set for each participating nation and that the government will push for Hong Kong talent to be appointed as part of the allocation for China. There will be two lists for mediators, Lam added, one for handling disputes between countries and the other for dealing with civil and commercial disputes. "It would be difficult for us to handle disputes between countries, but Hong Kong is good at the latter," he said. "We have talent in the field, so we [the government] will seek support from our nation to pick people from Hong Kong to be appointed into the list," he said. "Our nation has a lot of outstanding talent in mediation, not just Hongkongers, but at least we have to fight for our opportunities." Lam said 33 nations have signed up to join IOMed and that each member can nominate and pick mediators depending on the nature of the case. Hong Kong's winning the right to host IOMed's headquarters shows respect for the city's capability to be a centre for international services, he added, and that member nations recognise the strengths of the SAR. Lam also said renovation work at the old Wan Chai police station, which is to be the site of the headquarters for IOMed, is in the finishing stages and that its preparatory office will take over the venue soon. Meanwhile, he added, lot of explanation work has to be done to make clear Hong Kong's situation to the world, despite the city being highly competitive globally. When asked about his recent trip to the Netherlands, France and Italy to attract more European law institutions to set up offices in the SAR, Lam said progress had been made but that more effort was needed. He added that a lot of these organisations had been focused on development in western European countries in the past but were currently seeking recognition from the Asia-Pacific in order to follow the global trend.
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
Figures for chronic diseases scheme 'very encouraging'
Figures for chronic diseases scheme 'very encouraging' With Under Secretary for Health Cecilia Fan looking on, Lo Chung-mau says he hopes more doctors and residents, especially men, will join the scheme. Photo: RTHK The number of residents and doctors taking part in the Chronic Diseases Co-Care Pilot Scheme is "very encouraging", according to the secretary for health on Saturday. The three-year pilot scheme, rolled out in November 2023, aims to detect chronic diseases in the early stages and offers limited subsidised diabetes and hypertension consultations for those aged 45 or above. It was expanded to cover blood lipid testing in March this year. The government expects to recruit 200,000 residents when the scheme ends next year. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Lo Chung-mau said 140,000 residents have so far signed up for the scheme, 80,000 of which have completed all the screening. He said almost 40 percent of them were found to have high blood sugar or hypertension. "We have, right now, 640 doctors joining, and they have close to 900 service points for our participants to get the service," Lo said. There is, he said after the show, room for improvement. "We will be conducting interim analysis for this and we will be making measures and considering reviewing the current program with the intent to improve it, to encourage more doctors participating as well as our people participating," Lo said. "But right now I think this is very encouraging." The government also hopes to encourage more men to join the programme, Lo said, adding that most of the participants are female and men may be more likely to suffer from chronic diseases. Lo also revealed that the bureau is considering a manpower deployment to address the needs of districts with higher demand for evening outpatient services. Separately, newly appointed Under Secretary for Health Cecilia Fan said she will make use of her previous experience as a family medicine consultant at the Department of Health in her new post. Dr Fan has over 30 years of experience working at the department. "I will try to actually contribute to all health policies, actually in all aspects," she said. "But having said that, because my previous experience is more focused on family medicine and public health, so I think I definitely can contribute more in the primary health care policies through the district health centres, this chronic disease co-care programme, as well as the life course approach for the citizens."
