Scientists testing for illicit drugs at our border are concerned about the appearance of a new class of “super-opioids” 40 times more potent than fentanyl.
Known as nitazenes, police say the community use of the substance is low but could already be linked to at least one death.
There have been nearly 40 detections in the past three years and drug checking clinics have confirmed they are present in the community.
New Zealand Drug Foundation executive director Sarah Helm said the arrival of nitazenes in the country have “kept us awake at night”.
“If our methamphetamine supply was adulterated with nitazenes, we would see people die very, very quickly.”
High Alert, an agency reducing drug harm, has found four cases of severe harm incidents, including one case involving fake oxycodone pills which may be linked to a death in 2023.
Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) senior scientist Chrissy Black said fentanyl “requires a grain of salt for an overdose”.
“So you can imagine something 40 times more potent than fentanyl – we’re talking amounts we potentially can’t even see.”
Produced largely out of China, a recent US threat assessment said the risk is that Mexican cartels “easily use” existing relationships with Chinese suppliers to obtain nitazenes.
Black said there were more and more of these drugs that can “change entirely” with one slight adjustment.
“If we have that one step ahead approach, the hope is that we can stop them earlier when we do see them.”
