Two men found dead in York are thought to be the city’s first victims of a new super-strength street drug.
Nitazenes are synthetic opioids said by experts to be far stronger than heroin.
The new drugs are believed to have claimed more than 50 lives in the UK in the last six months.
And two of those deaths came in York, with men overdosing on Nitazenes within days of each other.
Nicholas Oakland, 31, died on 1 November. He was found unresponsive at his home on Holgate Road. Paramedics confirmed him dead at the scene.
Rocky Parker, 41, of no fixed abode, died on 3 November. He was found unresponsive at an address in Thoresby Road and taken to York Hospital, where his death was confirmed.
At inquest openings last week, senior coroner for York and North Yorkshire Jon Heath said that the provisional cause of death of both men was Nitrazene overdose.
Their full inquests will be heard at a later date.
What are Nitazenes?
- Nitazenes are up to 300 times more powerful than heroin
- They are synthetic opioids – man-made drugs that mimic heroin or opium – and class A drugs
- First detected in the UK in 2021, they are sometimes cut into heroin, cannabis or cocaine without the drug users’ knowledge
- Nitazenes can be injected, inhaled, or swallowed in tablet form
- According to the Telegraph, the National Crime Agency believes Nitazenes are being shipped to Britain in the post from China
Early intervention and detection
North Yorkshire Police confirmed that the two deaths in York last November are likely to be among the first in our area relating to Nitazenes.
The fatalities prompted an alert to professionals and people who use drugs through the local drug information system (LDIS).
Craig Bosomworth, the strategic lead for harm reduction within North Yorkshire, said: “Nitazenes and synthetic opiates have been something, as a partnership, we have been doing extensive work around for more than 12 months.
“Some of this has been around setting up better analysis to test illicit drugs in North Yorkshire via the North Yorkshire Drugs Analysis Project (NYDAP) which has seen 33 samples be screened for Nitazenes and synthetic opiates since August.
“We have also re-modelled a North Yorkshire and York wide drug alert process through the local drug information system (LDIS).
“This allows concerns and intelligence to be submitted faster and more easily, which is then responded to by the LDIS panel who can send out drug alerts to professionals and people who use drugs quickly and efficiently.
“We continue to expand the provision of naloxone, a medicine that can reverse the effects of an opiate overdose, which has been used more than a 100 times successfully across county and city since 2018.
“We encourage anyone who is using opiates, as well as the family and friends of opiate users, to make contact with their local drug treatment service to request a kit.”
More information around Nitazenes has also been uploaded to the DrinkDrugHub, North Yorkshire’s dedicated harm reduction website and free training platform.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Simpson said: ‘’North Yorkshire Police is aware of the emergence of synthetic opiates in the county and the city of York which is consistent with the national picture around Nitazenes.
“Together with our partners, we are leading many other areas of the country in early intervention and diversion away from these substances to better understand this issue and prevent harm and support for our communities.’’