Etomidate to be classified as a harmful drug from Sept 1: Ong Ye Kung

Etomidate, which is increasingly being abused through e-vaporiser pods (Kpods) and devices, will be listed as an illegal drug from Sept 1.

The anaesthetic agent will be classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) as a Class C drug, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Aug 24 on the sidelines of a community event in Serangoon.

“As was announced by various ministers, including the Prime Minister at the National Day Rally, we are taking steps to strengthen the framework of enforcement, especially for users and abusers of vapes and etomidate vapes,” he said.

Etomidate is a medicinal ingredient used in clinical practice and is currently classified as a poison under the Poisons Act.

Once etomidate is reclassified under the MDA, abusers of the substance will face harsher penalties, such as a maximum sentence of 10 years’ jail and a $20,000 fine for illegal possession and use.

Those who traffic in Class C drugs may be jailed for up to 10 years and given five strokes of the cane.

This is compared with the maximum penalty of two years’ jail and a $10,000 fine under the Poisons Act for possession, use and trafficking.

The MDA also provides for supervision and mandatory rehabilitation for such drug addicts.

An addict must remain at a rehabilitation centre for 12 months unless he or she is discharged earlier.

Class C drugs refer to substances that have lower potential for harm than Class A and Class B drugs but are still dangerous enough to warrant strict control.

Other drugs classified under this category include the stimulant pipradrol and the hypnotic drug Erimin-5 (nimetazepam).

These substances may have legitimate medical uses but are harmful when used in an unregulated manner.

Mr Ong, who is also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, said more details about the Government’s plans for e-vaporisers will be shared at a press conference on Aug 28.

Etomidate was designed to be injected directly into the veins under clinical supervision for anaesthetic purposes. The substance was never meant to be inhaled directly into the lungs.

However, Kpods, which are vape juice mixed with etomidate, have grown in popularity.

Online sellers have touted them as undetectable by urine tests.

Mr Ong said on July 20 that roughly one in three vapes seized during recent enforcement operations and tested at random was found to contain etomidate.

When vaped, the substance can trigger spasms, breathing difficulties, seizures and psychosis.

Mr Ong also previously confirmed that several deaths here have been linked to abuse of etomidate.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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