The Addictions Recovery Singapore said that although etomidate is not considered addictive under supervised medical use, recreational inhalation can quickly create psychological dependence, with users chasing its sedative effects.
Even occasional use may disrupt sleep regulation and trigger rebound anxiety or irritability, which are early signs of withdrawal.
The impact of “Kpod” use is especially serious for adolescents, whose brains are still developing. Exposure to substances at a young age may impair cognitive function, emotional regulation and memory over time.
Young people also metabolise drugs differently than adults, which may lead to unpredictable side effects, Dr Fong from NUH said.
Aside from that, “Kpods” might be laced with other undisclosed substances apart from etomidate. Early drug exposure increases the likelihood of future drug-seeking behaviour and long-term addiction, the experts said.
Dr Melvyn Zhang, senior consultant at the Institute of Mental Health’s National Addictions Management Service, said that adolescent brain development continues into the mid-20s.
Any form of drug abuse during this stage can harm the brain’s development, affect mental health or increase the risk of developing an addictive illness.
“From a clinical perspective, there is a possibility that early substance experimentation may predispose individuals to other drug abuse.
“However, the actual gateway hypothesis of ‘Kpod’ use leading to other drug abuse has not been scientifically tested,” Dr Zhang added.
Regardless, “Kpod” use goes beyond addiction risks. Dr Zhang cautioned that it may also lead to adrenal insufficiency, a serious health condition that affects cortisol production, which is critical to the body’s stress response and various physiological functions.
More research is needed into the recreational use of sedatives such as etomidate, particularly through inhalation, including their potential for dependence and withdrawal effects, especially since “Kpods” remain a relatively new phenomenon, the experts said.
In the meantime, there are already signs of how drug-laced vapes are affecting individual users.
For David, the effects included feeling “lightheaded” and “buzzed” – a high that lasted less than a minute each time he used a “Kpod”.
Although the sensation felt good at first, he began experiencing headaches and body aches.
He also recalled feeling deeply “dissociated” from his body. On several occasions, this caused him to lose balance and fall.
Once, he even hit his head, but refused medical treatment, fearing hospital workers might report him for suspected substance abuse.
These dangers became devastatingly real for Mr Delfard Tay, who lost his 20-year-old daughter Shermaine Tay to suicide in September last year – a tragedy he believes could have been linked to her “Kpod” use.
The 43-year-old logistics company manager said that his daughter had started using “Kpods” at the start of last year. Although he repeatedly tried to coax her out of it, their conversations often ended in arguments, followed by days of silence.
Over the following months, Mr Tay began noticing significant changes in her behaviour. She spoke more, but often incoherently. She also became more aggressive and was easily agitated.
In the week leading up to her death, she also experienced persistent vomiting, he recalled.
The autopsy report did not offer conclusive answers, but after reviewing closed-circuit television footage from their home, Mr Tay saw that his daughter had been inhaling “Kpods” shortly before her death and he could see her visibly shaking in the footage.
