From Fox News: A little-known opioid that’s deadlier than fentanyl has led to a growing number of overdose deaths in recent years.
Nitazenes, a class of synthetic opioids, were originally developed as pain relievers in the 1950s, but were never approved for use due to the high overdose risk, according to a report from the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD).
Starting in 2019, nitazenes (benzimidazole-opioids) began to enter the illicit drug market in Europe, where they have been reported on almost every continent.
CICAD’s report suggests that “nitazene use is a growing trend in North America and that availability is likely spreading across the Americas.”
The report quotes Corey Gamberg, a licensed alcohol and drug counselor and executive director at the Massachusetts Center for Addiction, as saying, “Nitazenes are being produced in illicit labs overseas, mostly in places like China and India, and are getting trafficked into the U.S. through the same channels used for fentanyl.”
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