New nitazenes synthetic opioids, 50 times stronger than fentanyl, detected in Australia, prompting health alerts and calls for drug-checking.
New synthetic opioids called nitazenes, 50 times stronger than fentanyl, have been detected in Australia. Concerns about the potential harms associated with these drugs and users not knowing what they are taking have led to government health alerts and coroners recommendations for drug-checking. Nitazenes are similar to fentanyl, which has led to unprecedented deaths in North America, and some are as potent as 50 times stronger than fentanyl. Australia has the opportunity to learn from the North American experience of severe harms related to a highly contaminated drug supply before these drugs become common in the country.
April 22, 2024
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