In Australia, a growing number of overdose deaths have been linked to synthetic opioids called nitazenes, which are 500 times stronger than heroin and 10 times stronger than fentanyl. The four recent deaths in Broadmeadows, Melbourne, were the largest cluster of Australian overdoses linked to these highly toxic substances.
Carly Morse, Thomas Vale, Michael Hodgkinson, and Abdul El Sayed used a rolled-up bank note to inhale the substance they believed was cocaine. However, it turned out to be protonitazene, a highly toxic synthetic opioid. Each had likely died within minutes of each other.
Nitazenes have been linked to thousands of overdose deaths in the US and dozens in the UK. The Australian government has called for more measures to prevent similar deaths, including drug-checking services and education campaigns. However, some politicians oppose such initiatives, citing concerns about safety and crime.
To combat this crisis, experts recommend using naloxone, improving drug-testing services, and increasing education about nitazene dangers. But some states are rolling back these efforts, despite evidence of their effectiveness.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/nov/03/nitazenes-synthetic-opioid-drug-500-times-stronger-than-heroin-fatal