DEA warns of potent synthetic opioid nitazene
The Drug Enforcement Administration has issued a warning about nitazene, a class of synthetic opioids described as far more potent than fentanyl, after detections of the drug in the illicit U.S. supply. CBS New York reports the DEA alert comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted overdose deaths were declining since 2023, prompting concern that nitazene could reverse that trend and pose heightened risks to users and first responders.
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DEA warns about growing threat of nitazene, synthetic opioid far more powerful than fentanyl
New information:
- DEA issued a public warning about nitazene, a synthetic opioid more powerful than fentanyl.
- The CDC is cited as saying overdose deaths had been on a steady decline since 2023, a trend now threatened by emerging synthetic opioids.
- CBS News (reporter Jennifer Bisram) aired a segment highlighting the DEA advisory and the domestic public‑health implication.