A powerful class of synthetic opioids known as nitazenes – which can be up to 40 times more potent than fentanyl and 500 times stronger than heroin – is emerging in the U.S., according to a new investigation. With support from the Fund, Jonathan Moens combed through dozens of criminal court cases, filed national, state, and county-level records requests and obtained scores of medical examiner reports. He found that, despite efforts to curb their spread, nitazenes continue to proliferate online, and by the time these substances reach American users, they are almost always mixed with other drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl. The story was published by Bellingcat and co-published by STAT and Signal Ohio.
Investigation tracks the spread of new super-potent opioids in the U.S.
