龍蟠苑疑似毒品死亡案件評論 Case Commentary on the suspected drug-related death in Lung Poon Court

昨晚本案事主的朋友向我地查詢案中男友會唔會被控誤殺。呢單案暫時得到的重要資訊是：1）事主是未成年；2） 女事主有長期病患並有吸毒習慣 3）案發地點女士主男友家中。

在香港，毒品主要受《危險藥物條例》Cap. 134規管，規定持有、販賣、吸食、等危險藥物均屬刑事罪行。如果任何人為未成年人獲取或向未成年人供應或販運危險藥物，警方可以引用《危險藥物條例》第56A條向法庭申請對該人加重刑罰。 而關於死亡個案：若有人死於不可尋常原因，例如可能涉毒、吸毒致死或涉嫌他人供應毒品致死時，會啟動的死因裁判程序展開調。

在一般情況下，如果有人在家中吸毒後死亡，有可能涉及如下法律。他人是否有可能因「供應毒品」或「使人吸毒」而被追究責任：若有人為他人提供毒品、或促使／協助他人吸毒，而該人死於吸毒，則可能出現「過失致死」或「誤殺」或其他刑責的追究空間，但需要檢控方證明與死亡的因果關係，據悉女事主有長期吸毒習慣，所以就算單憑在女士主男友家中檢獲到毒品，最多只能控告《管有危險藥物》，撇除屋入面冇任何目擊證人，所以能否改控誤殺的關鍵，在於事主男友的口供、現場任何藥物殘留吸食器具（包括上面的指模）及女事主的驗屍報告。基本上如果現場處理到警方搵唔到毒品關鍵證據 ，而事主男友份口供俾得好，其實係無需太擔心誤殺入罪。而根據今年10月九龍城酒店疑似毒品死亡相關案件，警方於該房間內發現5粒疑似「依托咪酯煙彈」，最後從誤殺改控販運危險藥物。

以上只屬於法律評論，不構成任何法律意見。

Last night, a friend of the victim in this case asked us whether the boyfriend in the case could be charged with manslaughter. The key information obtained so far in this case is:

1. The victim is under 18;
2. The female victim has a chronic illness and a history of drug use;
3. The incident occurred at the boyfriend’s home.

In Hong Kong, drugs are primarily regulated under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Cap. 134), which criminalizes possession, trafficking, and consumption of dangerous drugs. If anyone obtains, supplies, or traffics dangerous drugs to a minor, the police can invoke Section 56A of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance to apply to the court for a heavier penalty. Regarding deaths: if someone dies under unusual circumstances—such as drug involvement, drug overdose, or death due to drugs supplied by another—the coroner’s inquest procedure will be initiated to investigate.

If someone dies after using drugs at home, generally, the following legal issues may arise. Whether another person can be held responsible for supplying drugs or causing someone to take drugs depends on the situation. If someone provides drugs to another person, or encourages/assists them in using drugs, and that person dies from drug use, there may be grounds for manslaughter, criminal negligence causing death, or other criminal liability. However, the prosecution must prove a causal link between the drug supply and the death.

It is reported that the female victim has a long-term drug habit. Therefore, even if drugs are found at the boyfriend’s home, at most he could only be charged with possession of dangerous drugs. Since there are no eyewitnesses at the scene, whether a manslaughter charge could be applied depends on:

1. The victim's boyfriend’s statement,
2. Any drug residues or paraphernalia at the scene (including fingerprints on these items), and
3. The victim’s autopsy report.

Basically, if the scene is handled properly and the statement is well-prepared, there is not much to worry about the criminal liability regarding manslaughter.

For reference, in a suspected drug-related death at a Kowloon City hotel in October this year, the police found 5 suspected “etomidate cartridges” in the room. The charge was ultimately changed from manslaughter to trafficking dangerous drugs.

The above is legal commentary only and does not constitute any legal advice.