Authorities investigate fatal overdoses in Southall
London authorities are sounding alarms after two young adults died following suspected Nitazene ingestion—a potent synthetic opioid up to 500 times stronger than heroin. The Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into the “sudden deaths” of a 28-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman in Southall on May 26.
“This is following reports that the individuals allegedly passed away after taking an illicit substance in the form of a green pill,” a police spokesperson told the BBC.
A deadly new threat in the drug market
Nitazenes, originally developed in the 1950s as painkillers but never approved for medical use, have resurfaced as a dangerous illicit substance. The pills, which resemble oxycodone (commonly known as “oxys”), have been linked to multiple hospitalizations across London.
East London nightclub The Cause warned in an Instagram post that the pills had caused “several hospitalisations across multiple London venues.”
According to drug-testing charity The Loop, these synthetic opioids can be “50 to 500 times stronger than heroin,” making even minuscule doses potentially lethal.
How Nitazenes kill—and how to counteract them
Nitazenes suppress the respiratory system, leading to fatal overdoses when users stop breathing. However, naloxone—an opioid antidote—can reverse the effects if administered in time.
Recent government data reveals at least 18 Nitazene-related deaths in London between May 2023 and June 2024. The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) has flagged the drug as part of a worrying trend in Europe’s synthetic opioid crisis.
Europe’s growing synthetic opioid crisis
The EUDA’s latest report highlights a rapid shift in Europe’s drug landscape, with 88 new synthetic opioids emerging since 2009. In 2024 alone, all seven newly detected synthetic opioids were Nitazene variants.
“A recent EUDA pilot threat assessment found that Nitazenes accounted for a significant share of overdose deaths in Estonia and Latvia,” the report stated. At least seven EU nations and Norway have reported Nitazene-related harms this year.
As authorities scramble to curb distribution, health experts urge extreme caution, warning that what may look like a common painkiller could be a death sentence.
