The use of drugs containing synthetic cathinones, commonly known as “bath salts,” is becoming more prevalent in Taiwan and has led to 60 deaths this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday.
In 2000, cases related to abuse of synthetic cathinones such as mephedrone, methylone, ethylone and chloromethcathinone accounted for 0.4 percent of all confirmed drug cases handled by police, the administration said.
However, by last year the figure had increased 35.5 times to 14.2 percent, the administration’s statistics showed.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Synthetic cathinones are central nervous system stimulants that mimic the effects of substances such as amphetamines and cocaine.
The number of deaths caused by synthetic cathinone abuse rose from three in 2012 to 36 in 2015, said Chien Hsi-wen (簡希文), a senior technical specialist at the FDA, citing data from the Ministry of Justice’s Institute of Forensic Medicine.
Illicit drug manufacturers sometimes package the drugs as coffee, candy, cookies or chocolate and there have been instances of accidental consumption, Chien said.
Shaw Kai-ping (蕭開平), a section chief at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, said synthetic cathinones use can lead to agitation, hallucinations and heart problems.
Sixty people in Taiwan have died so far this year after using synthetic cathinones, Hsiao said, adding that 70 percent of the fatalities were men, with an average age of 24.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS