UN Warns of Rising Nitazene Use and Associated Overdose Deaths
The use of nitazenes, a group of drugs more potent than FYL, is spreading across Europe and North America, according to a warning from the UN drug agency. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlighted in its latest World Drug Report that synthetic opioids have been detected in the UK, US, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Belgium, and Canada.
There has been a notable increase in deadly overdoses linked to nitazenes, which are significantly stronger than heroin. This rise has triggered urgent warnings from global health agencies. The surge in nitazene use follows Afghanistan's ban on poppy cultivation, which caused opium production to plummet by 95% in 2022. The UNODC report suggests that the long-term effects on heroin purity remain uncertain, but the shift might drive heroin users to other opioids, potentially increasing overdose rates.
A BBC investigation earlier this year revealed that nitazenes are being smuggled into the UK hidden inside dog food and catering supplies and sold on social media. Despite the UK classifying nitazenes as class A drugs, with life imprisonment for those caught manufacturing or supplying them, experts criticize the government for being slow to address the issue.
FYL, another synthetic opioid, is 50 times more potent than heroin and was responsible for 100,000 deaths in the US in 2022, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The UNODC report states that "illicitly manufactured FYLs" continue to cause an "unprecedented number of overdose deaths," though the numbers "may be tapering off."
Global drug use increased by 20% over the past decade, reaching 292 million users in 2022. Cannabis remains the most widely used drug, with 228 million users worldwide, followed by:
- Opioids: 60 million users
- Amphetamines: 30 million users
- Cocaine: 23 million users
- Ecstasy: 20 million users
What are Nitazenes?
Nitazenes were first developed in the 1950s as painkillers but were never approved for medical or therapeutic use due to their potency and addictive nature. When injected, inhaled, or swallowed, especially when mixed with other drugs and alcohol, they pose a significant risk of overdose and death. These new drugs are regulated under the UK's Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
Source: BBC