Etomidate Abuse and Countermeasure Strategies in Taiwan

• In Event: Drug-crime links

Abstract

Purpose: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union Drug Administration (EUDA) have alerted the world to the dangers to human health posed by hazardous substances and consumption patterns. In Taiwan, the addition of etomidate to e-cigarettes, commonly known as ‘zombie bombs,’ was found to cause an increase in the number of police and civilian casualties due to driving among users. Twenty-two cases were reported in 2023, and 1,281 cases were reported from January to September 2024, a 58.2-fold increase. Two thousand nine hundred five cases of drug abuse were reported from January to October 2024, a 132-fold increase compared with that of 2023, indicating an upward trend of drug abuse. Methods: Official data, literature review, internet data, and cross-country comparisons. Findings: Emerging drug abuse is of great concern and prevention in all countries. In Taiwan, the gradual reduction of the new drug population in the 10 years from 2014 to 2023 is related to the promotion of the three phases of the New Generation Anti-Drug Action Plan, with a 10-year investment of $35 billion in anti-drug funding: treating the drug population as patients, slowing down the transition to life-supportive drug treatment, reintegrating drug-addicted users back into their families and society, and stopping the inflow of precursor materials into the community. Conclusion: Monitor the flow of emerging chemical raw materials and enhance the effectiveness of identification and international cooperation to combat drug crimes.

Author

• YING KAI CHEN, Central Police University,