More than 100 deaths have been linked to synthetic opioids known as nitazenes since summer 2023, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). However, doctors warn that flawed data collection methods mean the true scale of the crisis is significantly underestimated.
Dr Mark Pucci, a consultant in clinical toxicology at Birmingham and Sandwell hospitals, said the UK is “behind the curve” in tracking the spread of these super-strength drugs. He observed 13 patients who overdosed and survived between July and October 2023, among 19 people whose blood or urine contained nitazenes. None knew they had taken the drugs. Dr Pucci noted that few NHS labs are set up to test for nitazenes, making official figures “the tip of the iceberg.”
On Wednesday, 15 synthetic opioids were reclassified as Class A drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Those caught supplying or producing them face up to life in prison, while possession carries a maximum seven-year sentence. Home Secretary James Cleverly said the government is taking measures to keep nitazenes off the streets, adding that “placing these toxic drugs under the strictest controls sends a clear message.”
The NCA believes nitazenes are produced in illicit labs in China and brought into the UK via Royal Mail and other parcel operators. They are mostly mixed with heroin by organised gangs, and have also been found in illegal diazepam tablets bought online. The drugs are stronger than heroin and fentanyl, which has caused a deadly epidemic in the US.
BBC News spoke to Matt Perry, a recovering addict who nearly died after taking what he thought was heroin last August. He overdosed, flatlined on the way to hospital, and was revived by a defibrillator. He spent five days in hospital and now has brain tissue damage and kidney pain. Tests of leftover drugs confirmed the presence of nitazenes.
Experts say the authorities have not acted fast enough to track non-fatal overdoses involving nitazenes. Overdose data from the West Midlands recorded only four non-fatal nitazene overdoses in the last six months of 2023, a figure Dr Pucci believes under-reports the issue. Most recent figures put the death toll at 101 across the UK, with at least 49 further cases awaiting testing.
