A new class of synthetic opioids called nitazenes, which are 40 times more potent than fentanyl, is causing hundreds of confirmed deaths in the US, Europe, and Australia. These drugs first appeared on law enforcement radars in 2019 and are becoming increasingly common. Authorities warn that the actual death toll is likely much higher.
US and European authorities are confronting a formidable new challenge in the ongoing battle against opioids: nitazenes. This class of synthetic drugs is reported to be 40 times more potent than fentanyl, a notoriously dangerous substance already linked to widespread overdose deaths.
Nitazenes first came to the attention of law enforcement agencies in 2019. Since then, they have been associated with hundreds of confirmed deaths across Europe and the US, with reports also emerging from Australia. The drugs are steadily gaining prevalence on both sides of the Atlantic, complicating efforts to curb the opioid crisis.
However, experts emphasize that the confirmed figures represent a significant undercount. The potency of nitazenes makes them particularly lethal, often leading to overdoses that are difficult to detect and attribute accurately in post-mortem analyses. This underreporting underscores the urgency for enhanced surveillance and international cooperation to track and mitigate their spread.
The rise of nitazenes highlights the evolving nature of synthetic drug markets, where chemists continually develop new variants to evade regulations. While specific details on distribution networks or individual cases remain limited in available reports, the consensus among health and law enforcement officials is clear: these substances pose an immediate and growing threat to public safety.