The National Agency for the Safety of Medicines has just added nitazenes, very powerful synthetic opioids, to the list of narcotics and banned their production, sale or use from July 9, 2024.
- Nitazenes are synthetic opioids that are more powerful than morphine.
- They pose a high risk of potentially fatal overdose, even at low doses, as well as a risk of addiction.
- In view of these risks, this substance has been included in the list of narcotics by the authorities. The production, sale and use of this product are prohibited from July 9, 2024.
“Given these risks, and in a context where summer population movements will be very significant in France, the authorities have decided to include these compounds (nitazenes) on the list of narcotics: production, sale and use are prohibited from July 9, 2024.”warns the ANSM in a communicated.
Nitazenes: what are they?
Nitazenes, a new class of synthetic opioids, come in powder, tablet, or liquid form. Also called “benzimidazole derivatives”they are mainly used for pain relief. Most of them are more powerful than morphine.
The substance is causing great concern among authorities, as it is likely to cause “overdoses involving impaired consciousness, respiratory depression and miosis (constricted pupils)”, and this even after a low dose. Furthermore, these poisonings can “occur suddenly, within a very short time after taking it, and lead to life-threatening consequences, due to their power.”
Moreover, two people have died from it in France. In England and Eastern Europe, several dozen deaths linked to nitazenes have already been reported since 2023.
“Chronic use of nitazenes also exposes to a risk of tolerance (need to increase doses to obtain the same desired effects) and dependence, as with all opioids”warn the health authorities. They advise users or their relatives “to have one or more naloxone kits available, which is the antidote in the event of an overdose”. It is stipulated that “the necessary dose of naloxone to be used may however be higher than that administered for other opioids.”
These various elements led the ANSM to sound the alarm and ban the production, sale and use of the product from July 9, 2024.
Nitazenes: how to react in case of overdose?
The ANSM specifies that an overdose of nitazenes can sometimes occur several hours after taking the products. The patient has difficulty breathing normally, nausea, miosis (narrowed pupil), impaired consciousness, drowsiness leading to coma which can lead to death. Faced with these symptoms, it is necessary to:
- immediately contact an emergency service: 15 (SAMU), 18 (fire brigade) or 112 (all emergencies: medical, fire, security);
- administer naloxone – if available – to the patient while waiting for help;
- keep the person awake until emergency services arrive.
“In case of ineffectiveness and/or suspicion of an overdose of nitazenes, given their potency of action, and the short-lived effect of naloxone, it is important to repeat the administration of naloxone”adds the ANSM.
Furthermore, nitazenes are not detected during conventional urine drug screenings. Therefore, if you suspect that the patient has taken this product, you should notify health professionals so that specific tests can be conducted to confirm or not the presence of the opioid in the body.