Security minister Chris Tang on Thursday said authorities have officially renamed the “space oil drug” as etomidate, after more than 550 arrests were made over the drug in the first half of the year.

Speaking to reporters after attending a Fight Crime Committee meeting, Tang said the number of arrests was a nine-fold increase year-on-year, and the name change would be more effective in deterring people from taking the drug.

“Some of the drug traffickers make use of the name to promote a sort of fantasy and some of the positive feelings after taking the drug, and I think this is absolutely wrong,” he said.

“Etomidate only brings you harm...We have to properly name it as etomidate so as to eradicate the positive naming and positive side of the drug,” Tang added.

A total of 591 serious drug offences were recorded in the first six months of 2025, with one-fourth of them involving etomidate, the minister said.

Tang said over 320 people were reported to have taken the drug within the period, which was already more than the total number of people identified last year.

He pointed out that about 60 percent of them were 21 years old or younger.