‘Space oil’ linked to possible fatal condition among Hong Kong teen users: study
Study also finds second-hand exposure to substance may cause health risks to persist for former drug users
Some Hong Kong teenagers using the illegal drug “space oil” were found to suffer from a possibly fatal condition in which levels of certain important hormones were drastically reduced, according to a study.
Doctors involved in the research also found that the impact on young people’s health could persist even if they stopped using the drug but were still exposed to it while hanging out with other users.
The findings were contained in a case report on the narcotic’s health impact on three boys, aged 15 to 17, who were all diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency after being sent to public hospital paediatric departments in April and May last year.
“This is the first local paediatric report of adrenal insufficiency associated with etomidate misuse via e-cigarettes,” researchers said in the article, which was published in the Hong Kong Medical Journal last month.
The drug typically includes the anaesthetic etomidate as a main ingredient and has become increasingly popular among young people, including those who consume e-cigarettes, in Hong Kong since 2023.
Lawmakers recently called on authorities to rename the drug to avoid romanticising it, with suggestions including “zombie oil”, amid a rise in the number of young people abusing the drug.