"I can smoke up to twenty or thirty cartridges a day, constantly. It's a very pleasant, comfortable feeling; my whole body feels numb, and my legs go weak."
This is a confession from an e-cigarette user. Young people like him, addicted to e-cigarettes, are increasingly common in Asian regions such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. E-cigarettes containing the anesthetic etomidate, commonly known as "zombie cartridges" or Kpods, have created a chaotic and unpleasant environment in some areas.
Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have banned e-cigarettes since 2018, and in the past two years have further strengthened controls, classifying etomidate as a drug. However, mainland China and Japan, also in Asia, allow e-cigarettes. Why is this?
In this episode of "World Commentary," we follow Zhou Yuexiang, our Beijing correspondent, and Fu Zhuhui, our Tokyo correspondent, to investigate the situation firsthand.
Video Content: 00:00 Strictly Banned in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, Yet Legal in China and Japan: Decoding the Truth About E-cigarettes 00:46 E-cigarette Misconceptions: Smoking Cessation Miracles with Fewer Harms 04:13 Singapore Declares War on E-cigarettes: Etomidate = Drugs 05:28 "Space Oil" Too Romantic: Hong Kong Government Changes Name Hoping Public Awakens 07:34 Killing Someone After Inhaling Zombie-Style E-cigarettes: Taiwan's Drug Driving Problem is Serious 09:53 Japan's E-cigarette Classification: Nicotine-Containing Banned, Nicotine-Free Allowed 12:48 Legal in the Cracks: E-cigarettes in China
Further Reading
E-cigarettes, invented to help people quit smoking, have unexpectedly become a scourge. E-cigarettes, which have been very popular among young people and smokers in recent years, are electronic devices that mimic traditional cigarettes. They were invented by Chinese pharmacist Han Li in 2003.
His initial intention was to help him quit smoking. No one could have imagined that e-cigarettes, once mistakenly considered a "smoking cessation miracle," would be more addictive and harmful to the body than traditional cigarettes.
E-cigarettes consist of a battery, an atomizer, and a cartridge. They generate vapor by heating e-liquid and use a nicotine delivery system for inhalation.
Zombie Cartridges: Drugs Disguised as E-cigarettes
Professor Chen Huaiqin, Senior Consultant Physician at the National University of Singapore Heart Centre, told *World Commentary* that long-term nicotine use can cause inflammation, affecting the heart's vascular function, lungs, and respiratory system, and also carries a risk of cancer.
He stated unequivocally, "Therefore, e-cigarettes actually contain many, many harmful substances; they are not a safe alternative."
Most worryingly, some e-cigarettes are adulterated with potent or illegal drugs or even narcotics; zombie cartridges are one example.
E-cigarettes containing the anesthetic etomidate can cause confusion, disorientation, and unsteady gait, resembling a zombie, hence the name "zombie cartridges." In severe cases, it can lead to self-harm, harming others, or even death.
E-cigarette Ban or Not: Different Governments Take Different Stances
Due to the increasing number of young people abusing e-cigarettes and zombie cartridges, the governments of Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have not only completely banned e-cigarettes but have also further classified etomidate as a narcotic, hoping to have a deterrent effect.
However, in Japan, nicotine-free e-cigarettes are legal, and smokers can openly use them in designated smoking areas. There are also e-cigarette specialty stores in the country. Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, on the other hand, are considered medicines and are strictly regulated, with their sale prohibited.
Aside from reports earlier this year in Okinawa Prefecture of zombie-themed e-cigarette cartridges circulating on the black market, there have been no widespread cases of "adulterated" e-cigarettes being abused in Japan.
Like Japan, China also doesn't have a proliferation of zombie-themed e-cigarette cartridges, and its attitude towards e-cigarettes isn't one-size-fits-all. However, to protect the health of the public, especially teenagers, the authorities have imposed numerous restrictions on e-cigarettes.
