Nitazenes and E-Cigarettes

"Nitazenes are a series of highly potent, fully synthetic opioids that have recently emerged into the illicit drug supply and has led to many deaths throughout the world.¹⁷ Nitazenes are usually added to counterfeit tablets (i.e., benzodiazepines) or combined with heroin, where numerous incidences of overdose have been reported due to unintentional consumption.¹⁷⁻¹⁹ Recent media reports are also emerging of e-cigarettes spiked with nitazenes, in addition to a WEDINOS submission from November 2022.^14,20,21 An overdose death from opioid toxicity associated with the use of a nitazene-containing e-cigarette has also been reported in Australia.²²"