A new drug threat

A new category of synthetic opioid, under the broader name Nitazene, has been found in the US illegal drug supply.

Nitazenes were first developed in the 1950s for pain relief, but were never approved for medical use.

Now they may eclipse the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which is currently the primary cause of fatal opioid overdose poisonings. They are 1,000 times more potent than morphine and 10 times more potent than fentanyl.

Nitazene opioids include brorphine, isotonitazene, metonitazene and/or N-piperidinyl etonitazene.

All opioids can cause respiratory and cardiac arrest and be fatal at higher doses.

Opioid overdoses can be reversed by naloxone (Narcan), an “opioid antagonist” that can quickly reverse and block the impact of opioids, thereby rescuing a patient whose breathing has slowed or even stopped. Patients may require many more doses of naloxone than poisonings of heroin or fentanyl.

New, Dangerous Synthetic Opioid in D.C., Emerging in Tri-State Area (dea.gov)

New Opioids Are Joining the Illicit Drug Supply, and They're More Potent Than Fentanyl (usnews.com)

-Patrick Crouse