<![CDATA[The misuse of etomidate in electronic cigarette liquid (vape) has constituted an unresolved legal issue since mid-2025. Prior to the issuance of Ministerial Regulation No. 15 of 2025, etomidate did not fall within the narcotics or psychotropics schedules, leaving enforcement entirely reliant on Law No. 17 of 2023 on Health and Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024. This study examines the legal status of etomidate as a pharmaceutical preparation under the Health Law, the mechanism of criminal liability for producers and distributors, and the prohibition on additives in electronic cigarettes under Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024. A normative legal method is employed, applying statutory, conceptual, and case approaches. The study finds that etomidate qualifies as a pharmaceutical preparation under Article 1(16) of the Health Law, making unauthorised production and distribution subject to Article 435. Article 432(1) of PP 28/2024 explicitly prohibits unverified additives in electronic cigarettes, which includes etomidate. The enactment of Ministerial Regulation No. 15 of 2025 shifts the legal regime from the Health Law to the Narcotics Law, but raises retroactivity concerns for cases already in progress.]]>
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