Just In Time for Halloween … Beware of the Zombie Vapes

Packages of etomidate confiscated by the Criminal Investigation Bureau are displayed in Taipei on Aug. 21. Photo: Chiu Chun-fu, Taipei Times
Vape found during vape factory bust in central Taiwan. (The Third Special Police Corps photo)

From: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/10/28/2003825985 and https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5958759

“Reported usage of so-called “zombie vapes” has grown 58-fold this year, the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office said on Wednesday last week.

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

The office cited data from the Food and Drug Administration as showing that the number of etomidate-positive non-urine samples has surged by 58.2 times from 22 last year to 1,281 as of last month.

The authorities also seized 2.3 tonnes of cannabis last year, up 9.7 times from 240.5kg in 2021, and 15,360 cannabis plants from January to August, an increase of 1.6 times from 6,692 plants last year, it said.

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

Abusing etomidate could lead to irritability, disorganized behavior, tremors, twitching or even death, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital pediatrician Lin Yi-ching (林宜靜) said.

Taiwan High Prosecutors’ 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 been increasing over the past few years.

The office would monitor the sources and destinations of narcotic ingredients, and sites for drug cultivation, manufacturing and distribution, while working with international law enforcement, 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 died in the line of duty and five others have been injured this year, Liu said.

From July to this month, authorities seized 14,128 “zombie vape” cartridges, along with e-liquid and powders that could be made into more than 1.83 million cartridges worth about NT$4.6 billion (US$143,432 million), she said.

While etomidate is listed as a Category 3 narcotic, a narcotics review committee meeting would be convened early next month to discuss whether to upgrade the drug to Category 2, Ministry of Justice Department of Prosecutorial Affairs Director-General Kuo Yung-fa (郭永發) said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office prosecutor Huang Kuan-yun (黃冠運) said the office continues to promote a policy offering 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, compulsory abstention or rehabilitation in prison, he said.

The office would request district prosecutors to use deferred prosecution and addiction treatment to encourage defendants in drug abuse cases to abstain from narcotics, Huang said.”

UK Ban on Disposable Vapes Starts in June 2025

From: https://vaporvoice.net/2024/10/24/2025-uk-ban-on-disposable-vapes-starts-in-june/

YAY! ….The sale of disposable vapes will be banned in England and Wales beginning in June of next year, the government has confirmed.

Ministers in England said the move, first announced in January by the previous government but not enacted before the general election, is intended to protect children’s health and prevent environmental damage.

The government said it had worked closely with the devolved nations and that they would “align coming into force dates” on bans. According to media reports, Wales has already confirmed it will follow suit.

Vaping industry leaders have warned the move could fuel a rise in illegal sales of the products.

The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) said vape usage in England had grown by more than 400 percent between 2012 and 2023, with 9 percent of the British public now buying and using the products.

It is illegal to sell any vape to anyone under 18, but disposable vapes – often sold in smaller, more colorful packaging than refillable ones – are a “key driver behind the alarming rise in youth vaping”, the previous government said when it first set out its plan.

Public health minister Andrew Gwynne said banning disposables would “reduce the appeal of vapes to children and keep them out of the hands of vulnerable young people”.

Take the 2024 Vaper Survey!

Since 2016 CASAA has been working cooperatively with ECigIntelligence, an independent information service focused on tracking regulatory change and market intelligence for the vape sector. CASAA assists them with their annual U.S. survey of adults who vape by helping them develop survey questions that aid us in our advocacy efforts and help take the pulse of the vaping community.

As we do every year, CASAA is asking our members to participate in this year’s survey with the goal of collecting 5000 responses!

Take the Survey!

WHY SHOULD YOU PARTICIPATE?
The data collected from this survey will help inform regulators, advocates, and commentators as we all work to build policies that benefit consumers. The FDA in particular subscribes to this dataset and it can therefore serve as direct feedback on how their policies benefit or harm people who vape.

WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS WILL YOU BE ASKED?
The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete, and will ask you a range of questions starting with general demographic information like your age, gender, race, what state you live in, and your household income. Only a few of these demographic questions are required, however, so you can skip any you’d prefer not to disclose. After that you’ll answer a range of questions about your history of tobacco and vapor product use. The survey is anonymous, and none of the information provided can or will be used to personally identify you. You have the option of supplying your email at the end of the survey if you’d like to receive a summary of the results.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY?
Adults over the age of 21 living in the United States who currently use or previously used vapor and tobacco products are encouraged to participate.

HOW ELSE CAN YOU HELP?
After you’ve completed the survey, or if you are disqualified from participating but still want to help, please encourage your friends and family to participate! The goal of the survey is 5,000 respondents minimum, so every person helps!

Thank you for standing up for tobacco harm reduction,

Alex Clark
CEO, CASAA

Elegant Reuleaux 3

Reuleaux 3
Reuleaux 3

So far really liking this little power house. Playing with the TCR’s on the notch coils. This mod is the smallest mod I own besides the P4you D3. Really like the form factor and features the V3 is providing. The screen is massive and easy to use if you remember all the button combos 🙂 So far the batts have lasted 2 days! #jaybo #wismec #Reuleaux