Deadly ‘space oil’ drug linked to Hong Kong deaths

Judiciary Police (PJ) has detected four cases linked to a new synthetic drug, known as “space oil”, which is believed to have caused three deaths in neighboring Hong Kong.

According to the Social Welfare Institute (IAS), the four cases involved e-cigarette capsules purchased in mainland China or sent to Macau via international mail, PJ said in a response to questions raised by lawmaker Ella Lei.

Lei had expressed concern about the first case of space oil found in a local school in October 2023.

Space oil is a narcotic that contains etomidate, an anesthetic that can only be prescribed by health professionals. IAS stated that it will “continue to pay attention to the risk of abuse of new types of substances,” including etomidate, and that the government would “proceed with the review of the law in a timely manner, allowing the list of substances subject to control to be in line with neighboring regions and at an international level.”

In Hong Kong, authorities confirmed that they suspected at least three deaths were linked to space oil by early November. The drug is known in the region as the “zombie drug” because it can cause serious physical and mental harm, including addiction, memory loss, convulsions, loss of consciousness, and even death.

Hong Kong police have arrested 98 people in 60 cases related to space oil by the end of September, 16 of whom were under the age of 21. The number of arrests in the whole of 2023 was only nine.

Authorities in Hong Kong are working to include etomidate on the list of dangerous goods subject to restrictions as early as 2025, with illegal possession or use punishable by up to seven years in prison and a fine of HKD1 million, and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of HKD5 million for illegal trafficking or importation of such substances.

Victoria Chan