Working together to safeguard schools from "space oil"
To safeguard schools from a new type of drug dubbed "space oil", the Narcotics Division (ND) of the Security Bureau, the Hong Kong Poison Control Centre (HKPCC) of the Hospital Authority, and the Counselling Service Centre Division of the Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service (HKLSS) jointly organised a seminar today (October 8) on "space oil" abuse. Over 300 teaching staff from primary and secondary schools as well as social workers attended. Attendees were briefed about the situation of the risks of "space oil" among young people and the harmful effects of the drug at the seminar, with a view to raising the awareness and vigilance of school personnel and social workers regarding "space oil".
At the seminar, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, Mr Henry Tong; the Head of Toxicology Reference Laboratory of the HKPCC, Dr Calvin Chong; Chief Inspector of the Narcotics Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force and representatives from the HKLSS Evergreen Lutheran Centre and the Kwun Tong District Youth Outreaching Social Work Team of the Boys' & Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong each shared with participating teaching staff and social workers on preventive education against electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in schools. They also shared information on pharmacology and the harm of abusing "space oil", enforcement actions and relevant publicity and education programmes of the Police, as well as frontline service experiences and observations. The ND also explained the relevant statutory control.
The Commissioner for Narcotics, Mr Kesson Lee, said at the seminar that taking "space oil" is equivalent to taking drugs. The Government will take actions to crack down on "space oil" and strengthen the statutory control of the relevant substance. He urged teaching staff and school social workers to remain vigilant and observant, not to underestimate the vaping of e-cigarettes among students, and refer students at risk to suitable counselling and treatment programmes as appropriate. The ND delivers various anti-drug promotion and educational initiatives in schools in collaboration with the education sector. A multi-modality approach is also adopted in Hong Kong to render drug treatment and rehabilitation services that can help young drug abusers. He stated, "No school, regardless of its reputation or academic performance, can get away from the problem of drug abuse. Therefore, preventive education and publicity has always been an imperative duty of the Narcotics Division."
Although there is no standard formula for "space oil", it usually contains an anaesthetic called etomidate, which can only be prescribed by a doctor according to the law. Etomidate is regulated as Part 1 poison under the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A). In addition to etomidate, "space oil" may also be mixed with other drugs, impurities, and harmful chemicals such as nicotine. Dr Chong pointed out that long-term use of etomidate could disrupt the hormonal balance of its abusers, and the harm resembles that of hereditary diseases.
"Space oil" is often inhaled through electronic smoking products (such as e-cigarettes) or heated tobacco products, concealed in oil/liquid form within capsules and heated to produce aerosol for inhalation. Regarding the use of e-cigarettes, Mr Tong said, "The aerosol and secondhand smoke from e-cigarettes contain toxic and carcinogenic substances. The chemical solutions release various and unknown harmful substances when heated at high temperatures, some of which may be present in higher concentrations than traditional tobacco, and some are unique to e-cigarettes, posing serious health hazards."
The ND's website (www.nd.gov.hk) contains information about "space oil", and the ND also launched a "space oil" themed animated video in August (www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHQVLgU3wAA). Members of the public are welcome to browse the website. In addition, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre, located on the roof floor of the Low Block of the Queensway Government Offices, provides various anti-drug knowledge and is open to the public.
Working together to safeguard schools from "space oil" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements summarises visitor arrivals to Hong Kong during National Day Golden Week
The seven-day National Day Golden Week of the Mainland ended yesterday (October 7), with the overall number of inbound visitors aligning with earlier estimates. The number recorded on National Day (October 1) reached a daily record high since the post-pandemic full opening of the borders.
During the seven-day National Day Golden Week, the Immigration Department recorded a total of around 1.38 million visitors coming to Hong Kong through various sea, land and air control points. Among them, Mainland visitors accounted for about 1.22 million, representing 88 per cent of the total arrivals. The daily average of Mainland visitors was around 170 000, which exceeded that of the 2023 National Day Golden Week and the 2024 Labour Day Golden Week around 27 per cent and some 13 per cent respectively.
Mainland inbound visitor arrivals peaked on National Day with around 220 000 visitors arriving in Hong Kong, marking a daily record high since the post-pandemic opening of the borders and setting a corresponding record for the overall number of visitors to Hong Kong in a single day. During the National Day Golden Week, the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line and the Express Rail Link West Kowloon were the two ports with the highest daily average number of Mainland visitors, and operations at various control points and transport services ran smoothly.
Regarding large-scale events, the National Day Fireworks Display over Victoria Harbour on October 1 attracted over 330 000 spectators. The event concluded with effective crowd control arrangements and was well-received by local residents and tourists.
Visitors went to different parts of Hong Kong during the National Day Golden Week, with high visitor flow observed at major tourist attractions including the West Kowloon Cultural District, Ocean Park, Hong Kong Disneyland, the Peak Tram and Ngong Ping 360. Smooth and effective crowd management measures were implemented. In addition, according to the information provided by the hotel industry, the overall hotel occupancy rate during the first four days of the Golden Week (October 1 to 4) reached 90 per cent.
In terms of tour groups, according to the Travel Industry Authority's information, around 1 050 Mainland inbound tour groups visited Hong Kong during the National Day Golden Week, with around 80 per cent engaged in overnight itineraries. These tour groups involved around 36 000 visitors, accounting for around 3 per cent of all Mainland visitors, and they were generally in good order.
The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, is pleased to note that the rich array of National Day special offers from the Government and various sectors of society were well-received by the public. Among them, the 1st October Movie Fiesta: Half-Price Spectacular 2024 organised by the Hong Kong Theatres Association and subsidised by the Government took place in 59 commercial theatres across Hong Kong. On the day of the event, there were nearly 2 000 screenings, with cumulative admissions reaching 189 000, breaking last year's record of 155 000 and representing an increase of 22 per cent. Free admission was offered to museums and art spaces under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department on October 1, attracting nearly 60 000 attendees. Among them, there were more than 11 000 visitors to the Hong Kong Space Museum, setting a record for single-day attendance.
In addition, several public transportation services provided free rides or discounts during National Day, benefitting a total of approximately 4.43 million passengers. Different sectors such as catering and retail actively launched special offers to attract spending from both locals and visitors, contributing to a festive atmosphere throughout the city. Various trade representatives and merchants reported increased customer flow and business during National Day.
The embarkation and disembarkation arrangements for two homeport deployments of a mega cruise ship at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (KTCT) during the National Day Golden Week of the Mainland were smooth, with various transport services arranged to adequately meet visitor needs. Notably, direct coach services connecting the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point and KTCT were arranged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board in collaboration with a local coach operator to provide facilitation for a total of 3 500 Mainland visitors.
Mr Chan said, "Thanks to the concerted efforts of relevant government departments, organisations and industries in making preparations and responses, this year's arrangements for receiving visitors during the National Day Golden Week operated smoothly, enabling both locals and visitors to celebrate National Day together. The Government will draw on this experience and further enhance various arrangements in future to provide an even better experience for visitors to Hong Kong during festive periods."
