Nitazenes are a class of synthetic opioids more potent than fentanyl. Joe Lamberti/The Washington Post via Getty Images April 12, 2024 Nitazenes found in 5 overdose deaths in Philly – here’s what they are and why they’re so deadly Christopher P. Holstege, University of Virginia Initially developed in the 1950s, nitazenes are a type of synthetic opioid that has reappeared in Philadelphia’s street drug supply.
Fentanyl mixed with ‘tranq’ is decimating communities in Philadelphia, US. Sipa US/Alamy Stock Photo May 25, 2023 Tranq: first UK death from the flesh-rotting ‘zombie drug’ xylazine Caroline Copeland, King's College London The flesh-eating drug Xylazine is causing havoc in the US. Now it’s in the UK.
Although xylazine is not an opioid, naloxone can reverse the effects of the fentanyl and heroin it is often mixed with. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong April 12, 2023 What is xylazine? A medical toxicologist explains how it increases overdose risk, and why Narcan can still save a life Kavita Babu, UMass Chan Medical School Xylazine, or tranq, is increasingly being mixed with drugs like fentanyl or heroin and can be difficult to detect. Most people who use drugs are unable to tell if they have been exposed to it.