Consumption of nitazenes, a drug also known as “Frankenstein”, has resurged in Europe and the United States, where it has already caused around 200 deaths.
Two deaths recorded in Boulder County, Colorado, have brought attention to the growing addiction to a synthetic drug that emerged years ago but has recently gained popularity—and is 40 times more potent than fentanyl. These are nitazenes, responsible for the two fatalities that occurred in late 2023.
Warnings about the existence of these substances, also known as “Frankenstein”, began in 2019. Since then, their use has caused around 200 deaths in both Europe and the United States.
However, it is important to note that the actual number could be much higher, as while authorities are working to combat the consumption of fentanyl—which has caused an unprecedented public health crisis—the tests designed to identify this synthetic opioid can only detect some types of nitazenes.
What are nitazenes and why are they so dangerous?
Nitazenes are designer drugs that, unlike fentanyl, morphine, heroin, and their derivatives, are not a single substance but an entire family.
The nickname “Frankenstein” comes from the fact that their molecular composition can be modified to enhance their effects, creating different types of drugs.
Around 20 different derivatives can be classified as nitazenes, with isotonitazene being the most well-known, though others like clonitazene, protonitazene, metonitazene, and etonitazene also exist.
Like fentanyl, nitazenes originated in the pharmaceutical industry, but unlike fentanyl, they were never approved for use, and their creation (which occurred in the 1950s) was largely forgotten until they resurfaced as street drugs.
Christopher Holstege, a professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and director of the Blue Ridge Poison Center, gave an interview to The Conversation in which he detailed several aspects of this drug.
One key point is that some drug users are not even aware they are consuming it, as it is often mixed with heroin, fentanyl, and counterfeit oxycodone pills.
Additionally, it appears as a white powder, similar to cocaine, though it can also be found in bluish, yellow, or brown tones. Overdose symptoms are similar to those of other synthetic drugs: constricted pupils and slowed respiratory and central nervous systems, which can be fatal.
Another danger is that it is so potent that a person can die before receiving medical attention. While naloxone (used in fentanyl overdoses) can be effective, multiple doses may be required.
Image: Opinion
