Vapes, depressants and ecstasy are being laced or replaced with extremely potent synthetic drugs, say experts who fear an imminent overdose crisis. or signup to continue reading Nitazenes, a group of synthetic opioids, have already caused dozens of overdose deaths in Australia in 2024, harm-reduction advocates said on Tuesday. Few users realise they have consumed the substances, despite them being found in numerous powders and tablets bought on the street or online, including cocaine, MDMA and heroin.
The synthetic opioids have also been found in vape liquids and counterfeit medicines such as benzodiazepines and oxycodone. The drugs also evade fentanyl test strips. "Nitazenes are like nothing else we've seen in Australia," Unharm chief executive Will Tregoning said.
"These can be 500 times stronger than heroin and just two milligrams, an almost invisible speck, can be enough to cause fatalities." The concern prompted calls for a wider rollout of an easily administered overdose reversal medication, and for NSW follow Queensland and the ACT in adopting drug checking. Two Victorian coroners in March urged a drug-checking trial after finding a heroin user died unaware he was taking the dangerous synthetic opioid drug.
Health authorities in and have issued multiple urgent warnings about nitazenes being sold as black-market oxycodone or other substances. A plan backed by MPs, union heavyweight Gerard Hayes, harm-minimisation advocates and the Royal Australian College of General Pra.