A new class of synthetic opioids, far deadlier than fentanyl, is quietly driving a surge in overdose deaths across Europe and beyond. Originally developed in the 1950s but never approved for medical use due to fatal side effects, nitazenes have quietly infiltrated the drug markets, particularly in the UK and the Baltic states. These opioids, which are largely produced in China, can be lethal even in tiny amounts—the Wall Street Journal reports they're as many as 250 times stronger than heroin and five times stronger than fentanyl—and have been found mixed into everything from heroin and cocaine to counterfeit Xanax.
Since 2019, nitazenes have been linked to hundreds of deaths in Europe, including at least 400 in the UK over the past 18 months. Estonia and Latvia have also reported steep rises in nitazene-related fatalities, and Scotland on Wednesday issued a warning after seeing a 15% spike in fatal overdoses between March and May; the BBC reports nitazenes were present in 6% of those deaths, though that figure is likely an undercount.
Nitazenes are present in the US too, having been detected in 4,300 drug seizures since 2019, but reporting is spotty and many overdose tests don't look for it. Most victims were unaware they were taking the drug at all. The Journal recounts the case of a 23-year-old London opera singer who was killed by counterfeit Xanax he had bought illegally to help him sleep. Two standout quotes on the issue:
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- From UK National Crime Agency Deputy Director Charles Yates, on greedy dealers: "They buy potent nitazenes cheaply and mix them with bulking agents such as caffeine and paracetamol to strengthen the product being sold and make significant profits."
- From Vicki Markiewicz, head of the UK drug treatment provider Change Grow Live: "This is probably the biggest public health crisis for people who use drugs in the UK since the AIDS crisis in the 1980s."
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