Emerging Global Synthetic Opioid Threat: Increasing Reports of Nitazene Toxicity

Public health and public safety officials worldwide should be aware of an emerging threat of the Benzimidazole (Nitazene) class of opioids, which are causing increased mortality (death) and morbidity. Considered several times more potent than the fentanyl class of opioids (phenylpiperidines), these compounds can make an existing opioid epidemic much worse or introduce an epidemic to unsuspecting countries and regions.

In 2023, nitazene tablets destined for Florida, Connecticut, and Brazil containing an average of 29 mg of metonitazene across multiple shipments were seized in the U.S. from international express mail. This amount is equivalent to 290 mg of fentanyl in a single tablet (or 145 times the DEA’s estimated fatal dose of fentanyl), which would be highly lethal.
DOWNLOAD THE ALERT