In short:
SA Health and SA Police have warned of the dangers of synthetic opioid, nitazene, after records show the drug was linked to seven deaths and 13 non-fatal overdoses in SA since January 2022.
Two people were arrested last week after police seized cash and drugs including nitazenes at a Brompton property.
What’s next?
Health authorities warn drug users who unknowingly consume nitazene mixed in illicit substances should call triple-0 or go to the nearest emergency department.
South Australian authorities have issued a public warning after linking a synthetic opioid to seven fatal overdoses in the state over the past two-and-a-half years.
Health authorities said nitazene — a highly toxic drug more powerful than morphine – has been found mixed into other illicit substances.
Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia statewide clinical director, Victoria Cock, said the dangerous drug had a high chance of causing a fatal overdose — even in small quantities.
“In terms of being addictive, I think a person stands a hard chance of passing away before they have a chance to become addicted to it,” Dr Cock said.
“It is so potent that I don’t think people are going to have the opportunity to use it multiple times.”
SA Health recorded at least 10 emergency department presentations linked to the drug between July 2023 and January 2024, but noted many opioid overdose cases would not have been tested for nitazenes.
Dr Cock said people who might be using opioids were encouraged to purchase naloxone products in case of an overdose.
She said naloxone comes in an intra-nasal spray – Nyxoid – which could be obtained at over 400 pharmacies in the state free of charge.
“It’s important that everyone has this on hand,” she said.
She said people showing signs of opioid overdose — which include tiny pupils, slowed breathing, loss of consciousness, and blue lips and fingernails – were urged to call triple-0 or visit the closest emergency department immediately.
Detective Superintendent Shane Addison said police were “extremely concerned” about the local sale of nitazenes, which were being mixed with other drugs including methamphetamine and Oxycodone.
“Nitazenes are being identified and seized at increasing rates across Australia and South Australians are at increasing risk of harm from these very toxic illicit drugs,” he said.
“They may in fact be purchasing them and consuming them accidentally and without any knowledge that they exist.
“Clearly, I think the way they are being distributed, they could be located anywhere and certainly we have seen them broadly across all of Australasia.”
Police records show that seven deaths and 13 known non-fatal overdoses have been linked to nitazenes since January 2022.
Officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Branch arrested a 47-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman at their Brompton address last Thursday and located 198 grams of nitazenes.
“They are extremely dangerous and forensic testing of the drugs we located on the 18th, at least one of those nitazenes was about 25 times more powerful than fentanyl, while some of the other nitazenes located were between 100 and 2000 times more powerful than morphine.”
Other drugs including Valium, diazepam, oxycodone, Xanax, Suboxone strips and $15,000 were also found at the address.
Superintendent Addison said the Brompton arrest followed a police crackdown on the importation and sale of the drug.
“We believe that all nitazenes in Australia are being imported, there is no indication anywhere they are being manufactured locally,” he said.
“However, clearly there is the issue where they are being cut down and potentially mixed with those drugs we’ve mentioned.”
Superintendent Addison said the pair charged with trafficking in controlled drugs were granted police bail to appear in court in October.
