The Dark Reality of Zombie Cigarettes Spreading in Tokyo’s Yoko Scene With Dangerous Uses

“Zombie Tobacco” Increasing Among Young People: Although reports are few, its contamination is said to have reached the Tokyo metropolitan area. Its front line is the “Tōyoko area” in Shinjuku Kabukichō. Writer Takayuki Urushibara, who has conducted numerous underground investigations, approaches this darkness.

The Reason Dealers Revealed for Selling

The case of Ryutaro Hazuki, defendant of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (25), who was arrested over use and had his contract canceled by the team, is also fresh in memory. Etomidate, a medical anesthetic diverted to narcotics, is called a synthetic drug, and etomidate falls into that category. In Japan, it is a designated drug.

While consumption can produce a euphoric feeling as if intoxicated, it is said to have strong addictive properties. Furthermore, due to cognitive decline and brain hypoxia caused by disrupted spontaneous breathing, one may become immobile, convulse violently, or engage in bizarre behavior. Because its movements look just like a zombie, it is also called zombie tobacco. In August 2025, a man in his 20s was arrested in a parking lot of the club district in Shibuya Ward for possessing zombie tobacco. This was the first arrest in Tokyo.

“When police discovered a suspiciously behaving car and questioned it, liquid containing etomidate was found inside. Users have been arrested nationwide, and the damage is particularly severe in Okinawa. On January 30, the Yonabaru Police Station in Okinawa re-arrested a 15-year-old junior high school boy on suspicion of violating the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act for possessing about 0.75g of e-liquid containing the designated drug etomidate. Last December, a junior high school student was also apprehended in Okinawa, and the prefectural police are investigating the supply routes in detail,” said a reporter from the national social affairs desk.

Compared to cocaine or stimulants, which trade for 30,000–50,000 yen per gram, zombie tobacco can be obtained for less than one-third of that price. That cheapness is a factor in its rapid nationwide expansion. On the other hand, dealers also have a reason to handle zombie tobacco. By mixing expensive drugs like cocaine, stimulants, or LSD with cheap zombie tobacco to bulk it up, they can lower the price to around 10,000 yen without reducing the effect.

“Many people soak it like a paper CBD cigarette and smoke it, or use a liquid-type atomizer to vape it. Some even heat it or inhale it through the nose, but it can suddenly go berserk or become immobile, so I tell them to be careful when selling. Among dealers, many use etomidate as a cutting agent. They mix it with other drugs to bulk it up. This way, the profit becomes even higher,” said a person related to the dealer group.

Drugged Without Noticing

Because many reports of crackdowns come from Okinawa and there are few arrests in Tokyo, one might get the impression that it hasn’t yet spread to the metropolitan area. However, its sinister reach is steadily expanding. The front line in Tokyo is said to be the “Tōyoko area,” famous as a hangout spot for young people.

“Within groups, it spreads out of curiosity or fear, and kids who hear about it jump on the trend and buy it. Compared to other drugs, it’s cheap, and if you want, you can even get it through social media. The reason there’s almost no reporting on the zombie effect is that many of the products circulating are low-quality with a weak concentration of etomidate.

Even weak ones, when taken with alcohol or other drugs, seem to produce stronger effects, making them suitable for overdoses or escapism. There are also products sold under names other than etomidate or zombie tobacco, so many kids become addicted without even knowing what’s inside,” said another person involved in the dealer group.

According to a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, “In the metropolitan area, etomidate use is most noticeable around the Tōyoko area and in youth gathering spots like Shinjuku and Shibuya. That’s why we are always on high alert there,” revealing the situation.

Getting swept up in the city’s atmosphere and losing the ability to think independently is what allows the demon of etomidate to spread. In Kabukichō last October, a teenage boy died after falling down the stairs of a building. The aforementioned police officer said, “According to Shinjuku Police, it seems he jumped on his own. He may have been in an overdose state. Recently, there have been many obviously abnormal incidents. I’m certain bulked-up etomidate was involved.”

“Some kids start using it after being invited by seniors or alumni from the Tōyoko area, or receive it from the host scene. Many find it hard to refuse because they would feel unwelcome in Tōyoko. Etomidate mixed with narcotics can also act as an aphrodisiac, so some mix it into drinks or tobacco,” said the previously mentioned dealer group member.

The new wave of drug contamination is steadily spreading among young people.