Nitazenes - the new street drug epidemic?
Nitazenes were linked to at least 54 deaths in the UK in the final six months of 2023. The 大象传媒 has been investigating what they are and why they're dangerous.
Simeon McAnoy used to work as a door-to-door window salesman in Birmingham - until he died of a drug overdose. It鈥檚 believed he thought he was taking heroin. But he wasn't. It was a new super-strength synthetic opioid. They鈥檙e known as nitazenes and the 大象传媒 has learned they鈥檙e behind dozens of recent deaths across the UK.
Data from The National Crime Agency shows that nitazenes have been linked to at least 54 deaths in the last six months. An additional 40 cases are awaiting forensic toxicology.
Some experts believe a crackdown on heroin production by the Taliban in Afghanistan, has led to an increase in synthetic opioids in the drug supply here.
In this episode of 5 Minutes On, our Midlands correspondent, Navtej Johal, investigates the rise in these drugs, hearing from Simeon's mum, Jackie, about why she wants there to be much greater awareness.
(Image Credit: 大象传媒)
