Question:
Mr Vikram Nair: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) why is the classification of etomidate as a Class C drug only a temporary measure from 1 September 2025 to 28 February 2026; and (b) what are the considerations in extending this measure or making it permanent.
Answer:
Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs:
1. MHA takes the decision to list a substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) very seriously, because of the heavy penalties that are imposed under the MDA. Every candidate substance is carefully evaluated, and there must be robust scientific evidence of significant harm and addictiveness before we will list it. We also take reference from the drugs listed under the United Nations (UN) drug conventions.
2. Given that the abuse of etomidate is a relatively recent development, there is insufficient evidence of its long-term addictiveness, for now. It has not been proscribed as a controlled drug under the UN drug conventions.
3. However, as the etomidate situation was deemed urgent, the Government decided to temporarily list it under the MDA to enhance the legislative powers available for enforcement and rehabilitation, pending the Ministry of Health strengthening its legislation to deal with vapes, including those with more harmful substances like etomidate.
