Nitazenes linked to rising drug deaths in Scotland and the US

Synthetic opioids, specifically nitazenes, are appearing in counterfeit pills and drug supplies across Scotland and parts of the United States. In Scotland, nitazenes were implicated in 76 drug misuse deaths in 2024, a significant increase from the previous year. While Scotland's overall drug misuse deaths saw a 13% decline in 2024, the rise in synthetic opioid involvement remains a critical concern.

In the United States, the DEA has warned residents in several Louisiana parishes about a surge in fatal overdoses linked to nitazenes being mixed into fentanyl or heroin, or pressed into counterfeit prescription pills. These substances pose a high risk to users who may not realize the potency of the drugs they are consuming.

To combat the increasingly toxic drug supply, Scotland is launching its first local drug-checking service in Glasgow this October. Hosted by the Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science at the University of Dundee, the pilot program will use AI to analyze drug samples and inform users of their contents. The Scottish Government plans to expand these facilities to Aberdeen and Edinburgh to improve early identification of emerging risks.