Latest news with #spaceoil
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong renames ‘space oil' drug as etomidate to help deter potential users
Hong Kong authorities have renamed the emerging drug 'space oil' as etomidate, after its main ingredient, as part of efforts to avoid promoting any positive feelings towards the narcotic. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also said on Thursday that police had intercepted 250,000 vape cartridges containing the drug in the first half of this year, compared with just 7,000 over the same period in 2024. 'Some of the drug traffickers made use of the name [space oil] to promote the fantasy and positive feelings of taking the drug. This is absolutely wrong,' he said as he announced the narcotic's renaming. He said the substance had to be 'properly' named to prevent people from forming any positive associations with the drug, while urging news outlets to adopt the phrase. Authorities previously used the name space oil for vape cartridges that mainly contained the anaesthetic etomidate, which was classified as a dangerous drug in February. In June, Tang said the government had been considering renaming the drug as 'zombie oil' as lawmakers had raised concerns that using the name space oil could risk romanticising the narcotic's usage.
South China Morning Post
21-07-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong teen dies after being found unconscious in bedroom with ‘space oil' drug
A 17-year-old has died in a Hong Kong hospital after being found unconscious in his bedroom, where police also discovered the narcotic 'space oil', the Post has learned. A police source said on Monday that the teenager's mother had attempted to wake him at their home in Cheung Sha Wan at around 8.45am on Sunday. He was rushed to Caritas Medical Centre in Sham Shui Po, where he was declared dead at 9.49am on Sunday. A police spokesman said officers discovered multiple dangerous substances in the flat, including a vape device containing liquid etomidate, the main ingredient in the drug commonly known as 'space oil'. Cannabis and ketamine were also seized. The source said the 'space oil' was inside the bedroom where the teenager was found. There were no suspicious injuries on his body, but he had multiple self-inflicted wounds on his shoulders and forearms. The teenager did not leave the flat on Saturday. At around 5am the following morning, his father saw him using the bathroom and said he appeared normal. The father also reminded him to take his prescribed psychiatric medication, which he did before returning to his room.
South China Morning Post
05-07-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
‘Space oil' linked to possible fatal condition among Hong Kong teen users: study
Some Hong Kong teenagers using the illegal drug 'space oil' were found to suffer from a possibly fatal condition in which levels of certain important hormones were drastically reduced, a study from a medical journal has found. Doctors involved in the research also found that the impact on young people's health could persist even if they stopped using the drug but were still exposed to it while hanging out with other users. The findings were contained in medical research report on the narcotic's health impact on three boys, aged 15 to 17, who were all diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency after being sent to public hospital paediatric departments in April and May last year. The cases are the first three teenagers documented in Hong Kong. One of the teenagers mentioned in the report continued to show signs of adrenal insufficiency despite having stopped abusing space oil for several months, with doctors saying it could be due to second-hand exposure. 'This is the first local paediatric report of adrenal insufficiency associated with etomidate misuse via e-cigarettes,' researchers said in the article, which was published in the Hong Kong Medical Journal last month.
South China Morning Post
05-07-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
‘Space oil' linked to possible fatal condition among Hong Kong teen users: study
Some Hong Kong teenagers using the illegal drug 'space oil' have suffered from a possibly fatal condition in which levels of certain important hormones are drastically reduced, a study from a medical journal has found. Doctors involved in the research also found that the impact on young people's health could persist even if they stopped using the drug but were still exposed to it while hanging out with other users. The findings came to light in a medical research report on the narcotic's health impact on three boys, aged 15 to 17, who were all diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency after being sent to public hospital paediatric departments in April and May last year. The cases are the first three documented in Hong Kong. One of the teenagers mentioned in the report continued to show signs of adrenal insufficiency despite having stopped abusing space oil for several months, with doctors saying it could be due to second-hand exposure. 'This is the first local paediatric report of adrenal insufficiency associated with etomidate misuse via e-cigarettes,' researchers said in the article, which was published in the Hong Kong Medical Journal last month.
South China Morning Post
25-06-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong considers changing name of narcotic ‘space oil' to ‘zombie oil'
Hong Kong is considering changing the name of the illegal narcotic 'space oil' to 'zombie oil', as lawmakers raised concerns that the current title could romanticise the use of the drug. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung on Wednesday revealed the plan to rename space oil, whose main ingredient is the anaesthetic etomidate, after hearing feedback from the public. 'Some people shared the view that the name 'space oil' is not that good and could romanticise [its use], we also agree that there is a point there and we will review,' Tang told lawmakers. He said different options were being considered, including just calling the drug 'etomidate'. 'Based on the behaviour after consumption, such as losing sanity, performing indecency in public, jumping into the roads and almost getting hit by cars, developing skin inflammation and ulceration, or having hormone imbalance … some people suggested if we should call it 'zombie oil',' Tang said. 'We are now collecting opinions and hope to set a better name in the short term.'
