Taiwan to reclassify etomidate as Category 1 narcotic

Taipei, June 17 (CNA) The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) decided on Wednesday to reclassify etomidate -- a substance linked to so-called "zombie vapes" -- from a Category 2 to a Category 1 narcotic, making the death penalty the maximum punishment for the manufacture, transportation or sale of the drug.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Narcotics Review Committee convened by the MOJ earlier in the day to discuss reclassifying the drug, amid growing public concern over drug-impaired driving which has caused multiple deaths and injuries.

If the decision is formally approved and announced by the Cabinet, those convicted of manufacturing, transporting or selling the drug could face heavy prison sentences and the death penalty in the most serious cases, the MOJ said in a statement.

The ministry said that at Wednesday's committee meeting, officials considered the substance's addictive potential, abuse potential and social harm in deciding whether to re-categorize etomidate as a Category 1 narcotic.

According to anti-drug information issued by authorities, users of etomidate -- which is commonly consumed through e-cigarettes -- can become unable to think clearly or control their movements, and may experience abnormal tremors and other symptoms.

Users may also become unable to speak, bend forward at the waist and twist their bodies uncontrollably, giving them a zombie-like appearance.

Over the past few years, there have been frequent reports of drug-impaired driving in Taiwan involving etomidate use, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.

Etomidate was first classified as a Category 3 narcotic in 2024 before being elevated to Category 2 later that year.

In addition to etomidate, the committee also approved the reclassification of eight other substances as Category 1 narcotics, namely metomidate, propoxate, butomidate, trifluoroetomidate, flutomidate, carboetomidate, methoxycarbonyl-carboetomidate and allyl etomidate.

To prevent abuse and reduce the risk of social harm, the committee approved the designation of two substances that can be used as precursors in the synthesis of etomidate -- N-formyl-N-(1-phenylethyl) glycine ethyl ester and etomidic acid -- as Category 4 controlled drug precursors, thereby subjecting them to tighter control, the statement said.

The MOJ said it would expedite the remaining legislative and administrative procedures before submitting the reclassification proposal to the Cabinet for formal approval and promulgation.

The Legislature passed a bill banning e-cigarettes in Taiwan on Jan. 12, 2023, which was officially implemented on March 22 the same year.