Macau vows to ban ‘space oil’ by 2025

In light of the detection of substances such as etomidate, medetomidate, propylparaben, and isopropylparaben in drug offenses in Macau, the Office of the Secretary for Security stated that the refinement of the relevant draft bill is nearly complete, with efforts to finalize the legislative process within this year.

This announcement follows a written inquiry from lawmaker Ella Lei, who requested a timeline for legislation to regulate vaping substances, including “space oil,” which contains etomidate, along with other emerging drugs.

The Office reported that the government has already enacted seven legislative amendments concerning the classification of new drugs, leading to the inclusion of over 70 substances and precursors in the regulated list.

The Office noted that, while mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have enacted legislation to regulate such substances, etomidate is not yet controlled by international conventions.

However, the office committed to submitting the draft bill for scrutiny by the Executive Council in due course.

Additionally, between January and November last year, the Macau Customs Service (SA) seized 269 electronic cigarettes and 22,121 cartridges and vape oils. The Judiciary Police (PJ) have launched investigations into four cases involving etomidate.

Furthermore, the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) launched in 2023 a “Pilot Programme for the Detection of New Drugs” to assess the risk of abuse of substances not yet under international control in Macau. Preliminary data from 2024 indicate that etomidate accounted for 3.4% of all positive urinalysis tests.

The office emphasized its commitment to monitoring the risk of abuse of new drugs, including etomidate, and to timely legislative amendments to align Macau’s regulations with international standards and those of neighboring regions.