By I. Hansana, Jadetimes News
Emergency Alert, Rising Threat of Nitazenes A Lethal Drug Epidemic
In January, at a rave, a former drug user assisting unwell partygoers witnessed a dire announcement a dangerous drug, causing multiple overdoses, was circulating among the crowd. According to Caitlyn, who spoke to 60 Minutes, the substance sold as MDMA was, in fact, causing severe opioid overdoses.
The pink pills, misrepresented as MDMA, were actually nitazenes a class of synthetic opioids, reportedly a thousand times more potent than morphine. These drugs are manufactured in Chinese laboratories and shipped to Western countries, often concealed in various illicit drugs.
"This wasn't MDMA; it was pure nitazenes, sold to kids as MDMA," Caitlyn explained. "It was just straight up poison." Originally developed in the 1950s, nitazenes were abandoned due to their extreme danger. Today, however, they have re emerged in the illicit drug market, contaminating MDMA, cocaine, counterfeit painkillers, and even vapes.
Claire Rocha's son Dylan believed he was injecting heroin when he fatally overdosed on nitazenes in 2021. "He thought he was safe. He'd taken that amount before," Claire said. "He was ultimately killed by a silent killer that neither of us knew about."
Dylan was among the first in the UK to die from nitazenes. Currently, the UK sees six deaths weekly from this deadly substance. In Australia, twenty deaths and dozens of overdoses have prompted authorities, including Dr. Marianne Jauncey, to be on high alert. "Quite frankly, it's terrifying," Dr. Jauncey told 60 Minutes. "If nitazenes infiltrate Australia's illicit drug supply, deaths will skyrocket."
Dr. Jauncey, who oversees a safe injecting room in Sydney's Kings Cross, advises everyone to carry naloxone, a drug that can reverse nitazene overdoses. Federal funding now makes naloxone freely available at participating pharmacies.
"Naloxone can save your life if you are overdosing on opioids," Dr. Jauncey emphasized. "It needs to be readily available in glove boxes and kitchen cupboards across the country."
The rising threat of nitazenes has reignited the pill testing debate, with advocates urging the government to act promptly. "Why do we only test after an event?" Dr. Jauncey questioned. "We need to empower people with information about what they are using."
Dr. Jauncey appeals to parents, emphasizing the universal fear of losing a child and the need for safety and well being. Claire Rocha, still mourning her son, hopes his death serves as a warning for Australia to take immediate action and a reminder of life’s unpredictability.