China Cracks Down on Drug-Laced Vapes as Youth Crisis Grows

Chinese authorities are intensifying a crackdown on drug-laced e-cigarettes, particularly those containing the anesthetic etomidate — known colloquially as “heady e-cigarettes” or “space oil” — as youth addiction to these substances reaches alarming levels. The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) and Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) jointly announced tougher penalties on June 26, 2026, ahead of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, targeting the production, trafficking, and use of these substances among minors.

According to the SPP, e-cigarettes containing psychoactive substances “are particularly common among minors and have become a major vehicle for drug abuse among young people.” Etomidate has now surpassed heroin to become the second most abused drug in China, with authorities warning that the convergence of e-cigarette proliferation and synthetic drug abuse is creating a public health crisis distinct from traditional drug use patterns.

The Rise of Etomidate Abuse

Etomidate, a short-acting intravenous general anesthetic used legally in China for over 30 years, began appearing in e-cigarette liquids after China class-scheduled synthetic cannabinoids in 2021. As authorities cracked down on mainstream drugs, illegal manufacturers shifted to unregulated substitutes — a pattern that has persisted ever since.

In October 2023, etomidate was placed under national drug control by China’s National Medical Products Administration, National Health Commission, and Ministry of Public Security, as part of a broader effort to control 10 new drugs, China Daily reported. But the control triggered a “cat and mouse” dynamic: after etomidate was scheduled, analogues such as metomidate, isopropoxate, and propoxate emerged and were subsequently controlled in July 2024, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

“Many people, especially young people, mistakenly believe that since these substances have not been classified as drugs, they are harmless,” Zhao Zhongchen, Deputy Director of the National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC), warned in 2023. “However, these substances are highly addictive and pose serious danger to individuals and society.”

Alarming Youth Statistics

The latest data from the SPP reveals a troubling trajectory. In 2025, the number of minors involved in drug-related cases fell 32 percent year-on-year, with the decline continuing through January-May 2026, signaling initial progress. However, compared with 2023, both figures increased by approximately 1.8 times in 2025, indicating that the underlying problem remains severe.

Liu Weibo, Chief Judge of the SPC’s Fifth Criminal Division, said some teenagers obtain such substances “out of curiosity, excitement or peer influence, while others are lured, coerced or deceived into using them.” The substances involved are becoming more diverse, he noted, including narcotic and psychotropic drugs diverted from medical institutions and pharmacies, as well as substances smuggled from overseas.

Criminal Cases Highlight the Crisis

In a typical case released by the SPP, a minor bought e-cigarette cartridges containing etomidate in Suqian, Jiangsu province, between July and October 2024, then transported them to Changzhou for use and sale. The minor and others sold 415.5 cartridges, collecting more than 212,800 yuan ($31,300). Sentences ranged from five months’ detention to four years in prison.

In another case, two men were sentenced to 15 years in prison for trafficking 545 etomidate vape pods valued at over 165,000 yuan and exploiting teenagers as distributors, according to Caixin Global.

Zhang Jianzhong, Head of the SPP’s Prosecutorial Department for Major Crimes, noted that traditional drug crimes have continued to decline under sustained crackdowns, but some offenders “have shifted to addictive substances not yet under official control to evade punishment.” Cases involving nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) and butane have “rapidly increased,” he said.

A Global Problem

The spread of etomidate-laced e-cigarettes is not confined to China. The UNODC has documented the substance’s rapid expansion from East and Southeast Asia to North America, Europe, and Oceania. In Australia, Victorian health authorities issued a warning in June 2026 after etomidate was detected in vape products sold in Melbourne, with the ABC News reporting that the substance can cause rapid onset sleep sedation, confusion, vomiting, and loss of consciousness, and can be life-threatening when combined with alcohol or opioids.

Hong Kong classified etomidate and three analogues as dangerous drugs in February 2025. Singapore uncovered an e-vaporiser distribution network suspected to be related to etomidate in January 2025. Thailand seized 2,200 liters and 250 kilograms of precursor chemicals capable of producing 200 kilograms of illicit etomidate in December 2024. The substance has also been detected in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States (Philadelphia), New Zealand, and Japan, where it is known as “zombie cigarettes.”

The Regulatory Challenge

Authorities face a recurring challenge: as each substance is controlled, illegal manufacturers shift to unregulated analogues. This pattern has played out repeatedly — from synthetic cannabinoids to etomidate to its analogues — and further structural variants are likely to emerge.

The SPC is currently drafting a judicial document specifically on handling new drug crimes, with provisions for cases involving minors. The NNCC is also working with the Ministry of Education to include new psychoactive substance prevention in school curricula.

In one region, a tiered supervision model covering family and school discipline, supervised care, public security penalties, and criminal punishment has covered 1,068 drug-related individuals, with 985 corrected at an early stage. The regional drug-related reoffending rate fell by 35 percent during the same period.

What to Watch For

The effectiveness of China’s intensified penalties will depend on several factors: whether international coordination via the UNODC can keep pace with the emergence of new analogues; whether education and prevention efforts can counter the curiosity and peer pressure that drive youth experimentation; and whether the regulatory lag between a substance’s emergence and its control can be shortened.

As the SPC and SPP’s joint announcement makes clear, China is taking a zero-tolerance approach — but the rapidly evolving landscape of synthetic drugs means the battle is far from over.