The National Medicines Agency warns of the increasing circulation of “particularly dangerous” synthetic opioids, nitazenes

These “benzimidazole derivatives”, much stronger than morphine, “can cause overdoses”, reports the ANSM. Their production, sale and use will be prohibited from July 9.

It warns of a new class of substances “particularly dangerous”The National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) is concerned about the circulation in France of new synthetic opioids, nitazenes, which contain “a high risk of potentially fatal overdose, even at low doses”in a press release on Monday, July 8.

Nitazenes, also called “benzimidazole derivatives” and presented in powder, tablet or liquid form, are used mainly to relieve pain (like morphine or fentanyl, which are also the subject of an illicit market and consumption). These substances are 500 times stronger than morphine and “can cause overdoses” Who “can occur suddenly, within a very short time after taking it, and can be life-threatening”warns the public agency.

Signs of an opioid overdose may also “to manifest several hours later” by difficulty breathing normally, nausea, or drowsiness leading to coma that can lead to death, explains the ANSM. The danger is proven: two cases of death have already been reported in France, and several dozen in connection with nitazenes in England and Eastern Europe since 2023. The ANSM recommends that users and those around them “to have one or more naloxone kits available, the antidote in case of overdose”.

“The authorities have decided to include these compounds in the list of narcotics”announces the drug policeman. This means that “production, sale and use” nitazenes will be banned from Tuesday, July 9. The UN itself has expressed concern about the emergence of these new substances, “recently emerged in high-income countries [et] causing an increase in overdose deaths”according to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) published on June 26.

UNODC expressed concern that “Heroin users are turning to synthetic opioids, posing serious health risks”such as fentanyl, opiate substitution treatments (methadone, Subutex), and now nitazenes. Noting “the expansion of these very powerful opiates”mainly from China, an expert, Angela Me, mentioned a probable link with “the situation in Afghanistan”where opium production has fallen since the Taliban banned poppy cultivation.