"Space oil" abuse remains a dangerous trend in HK
發佈日期: 2025-06-09 20:46
TVB News
The government listed the main ingredient of "space oil," etomidate, and three related compounds as dangerous drugs in February.
The Hospital Authority's New Territories East Cluster has seen no notable change in recent months in the number of people seeking help because of "space oil."
But the number of "space oil"-related cases recorded by the police since February is already higher than the figure for the whole of last year.
Using the pseudonym C, this man said he used to take traditional drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine.
In January this year, he tried "space oil" for the first time because he thought the drug would not have a strong effect. But he could not stop afterwards.
The Hospital Authority's New Territories East Cluster says since they received their first "space oil" drug patient last year, the number has been rising.
The hospital cluster said many of them are under 21 years old, with the youngest being 12. Some patients would develop conditions including convulsion.
To help increase patients' motivation to detox, the hospital cluster has introduced virtual reality games. The games will present scenarios where individuals may come in contact with drugs, illustrating the potential consequences of drug consumption.
The government listed etomidate, the main ingredient of "space oil," and three related compounds as dangerous drugs in mid-February.
As of the end of April, authorities had recorded 218 "space oil"-related cases in a three-and-a-half-month period. This compares with 214 cases during the whole year of 2024.
Police say they will step up their cyber patrol to catch the drug sellers out.
