What are Nitazenes

As the cartels continue to find creative ways to get drugs across the border to addict Americans to synthetic opioids, there is a massive new threat other than Fentanyl. As many Tests for fentanyl exist, cartels are rapidly changing their drugs from being laced with fentanyl, to now being laced with Nitazenes. Why? Because until our testing became available, Nitazenes were undetectable. 

Nitazenes are strong synthetic opioids. Opioids include any drug that acts on opioid receptors in the brain, and any natural or synthetic drugs that are derived from, or related to, the opium poppy. Nitazenes were developed by researchers around 60 years ago as an alternative to morphine, but because of their high potential for overdose were never released. Nitazenes have been connected to a number of overdose deaths worldwide, and that number is rapidly rising.

Nitazenes are sold as a white powder, crystalline solid, or brown/yellow powder. They have also been found in tablets (fake oxycodone), heroin, ketamine and synthetic cannabinoids.

Benzimidazole opioids, synthetic opioids, New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

Some common nitazenes include:

• isotonitazene
• metonitazene
• etonitazene
• protonitazene

Nitazenes can be injected, inhaled, or swallowed (tablet form).

Use of any drug can have risks. It’s important to be careful when taking any type of drug.

Nitazenes affect everyone differently, based on:

• size, weight and health
• whether the person is used to taking it
• whether other drugs are taken around the same time
• the amount taken
• the strength of the drug (varies from batch to batch).

Short term effects of nitazenes include:

• euphoria
• relaxation, drowsiness and clumsiness
• pain relief
• reduced stress
• itchiness
• nausea and vomiting
• fever and sweating
• slow breathing and heart rate.

If the dose is too high, you might overdose. Call an ambulance straight away by dialing 9-1-1 if you or someone you are with has any of these symptoms:

• slow/shallow breathing
• bluish/greyish lips and complexion
• passing out
• coma
• death