Secretary for Security Chris Tang said the space oil drug problem in Hong Kong has got worse at a rapid rate over the past year.

The government is planning to list etomidate, a main component of the substance, as a dangerous drug on February 14.

Speaking on RTHK’s Overview Policy programme, Tang said the number of cases related to space oil increased drastically last year.

“Actually the situation has worsened rapidly over the past year. The number of cases in 2024 was seven times more than in 2023, and the number of those arrested increased 11 fold. The amount of space oil drug seized also increased at least four times," Tang said.

"We can see how serious the problem is and therefore, we need to handle it through legislation,” he said.

Tang said the government will boost education related to the substance on social media and schools, and also equip teachers to help identify students who use the drug.

Separately, Tang also spoke about the proposed legislation on protection of critical infrastructures. He said the legislation is to ensure the operations of key facilities such as water and electricity, if they come under cyber-attacks.

He said large corporations will have the responsibility to protect their computer systems, and to report to the government if they face cyber-attacks, as well as having a contingency plan.

Tang said individuals and small businesses will not be affected by the proposed law.