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The use of ‘zombie vapes’ multiplies by 58: prosecutors
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The use of ‘zombie vapes’ multiplies by 58: prosecutors

  • By Chen Tsai-ling, Lin Hui-chin and Esme Yeh / Staff reporters, with staff writer

Reported use of so-called “zombie vapes” has increased 58-fold this year, Taiwan’s High Prosecutor’s Office said on Wednesday last week.

“Zombie vapers” use etomidate, a type of central nervous system depressant that can induce anesthesia.

The office cited data from the Food and Drug Administration showing that the number of non-urinary samples positive for etomidate has increased 58.2-fold from 22 last year to 1,281 last month.

The use of ‘zombie vapes’ multiplies by 58: prosecutors

Photo: Chiu Chun-fu, Taipei Times

Authorities also seized 2.3 tons of cannabis last year, 9.7 times more than the 240.5 kg in 2021, and 15,360 cannabis plants from January to August, a 1.6-fold increase from 6,692 plants. from last year, he said.

This indicates that cannabis has become one of the most popular narcotics in Taiwan, he added.

Abuse of etomidate could cause irritability, disorganized behavior, tremors, spasms or even death, said Lin Yi-ching (林宜靜), a pediatrician at Kaohsiung Medical University’s Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital.

Taiwan’s High Prosecutor’s Office prosecutor Chao Yen-li (趙燕利) said the office would clamp down on drug abuse as cannabis and etomidate-related narcotics are increasingly used among young people and The number of reported seizures has increased in recent years. .

The office would monitor the sources and destinations of narcotic ingredients and sites for drug cultivation, manufacturing and distribution, while working with international authorities, he said.

Criminal Investigation Bureau official Liu Chen-ju (劉貞汝) said the number of hit-and-run incidents that occur while driving under the influence of etomidate-related narcotics is increasing.

Two police officers were killed in the line of duty and five others were injured this year, Liu said.

From July to this month, authorities confiscated 14,128 “zombie vape” cartridges, along with e-liquid and powders that could be converted into more than 1.83 million cartridges worth approximately NT$4.6 billion (US$143.432 million), said.

While etomidate is listed as a schedule 3 narcotic, a narcotics review committee meeting will be convened early next month to discuss whether the drug should be upgraded to schedule 2, the director general of the Department of Fiscal Affairs said. Ministry of Justice, Kuo Yung-fa (郭永發). .

Meanwhile, Taiwan Senior Prosecutor’s Office prosecutor Huang Kuan-yun (黃冠運) said the office continues to promote a policy that offers deferred prosecution and addiction treatment for drug users.

The recidivism rate for people who received deferred prosecution and addiction treatment was only 22.5 percent, much lower than those who were sentenced to observation, rehabilitation, mandatory abstinence or prison rehabilitation, he said.

The office would ask district attorneys to use deferred prosecution and addiction treatment to encourage defendants in drug abuse cases to refrain from using narcotics, Huang said.