DEA sounds alarm about nitazene, a synthetic opioid more powerful than fentanyl
There is a warning about a powerful and potentially new group of synthetic opioids now on New York City's streets.
CBS News New York's Jennifer Bisram discussed the issue with city's top drug enforcement agent and state officials.
Nitazene more powerful than fentanyl, DEA says
Bisram recently spent a day in the Drug Enforcement Administration's New York lab with Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino, who talked about nitazene and other illegally pressed pills seized from an operation on Long Island earlier this month.
"In the past, we've talked about the lethality of fentanyl and we say that it is anywhere between 10 and 20 grains of salt is a lethal dose ... When we look at nitazene, we're talking about anywhere from one grain or less," Tarentino said. "We're seeing anywhere from 20-40% more powerful than fentanyl."
Tarentino said nitazene was developed in the 1950s, primarily as a painkiller, but, "The intensity and the strength was so extreme, the potential risk of overdose was so high, it never made it into the market."
He said fentanyl has been the primary driver of overdose deaths and poisonings, but a new compound of the synthetic opioid nitazene is now on our streets.
"We've seen them in counterfeit Xanax pills and in counterfeit Adderall pills and in the counterfeit M30 pills that we showed you earlier today in our laboratory," Tarentino said.
Naxalone can counter nitazene, state official says
Nitazene is being sold on social media, too, targeting adults and even young teens.
Dr Chinazo Cunningham is the commissioner of the New York State Office of Addiction, Services and Supports.
"Nitazene is an opioid and Naloxone blocks opioids, so if it's a very powerful opioid, it may take a couple of doses," Cunningham said. "People can get Naloxone free from New York state and we ship it out to them within a week."
Sharon Valente lives on Long Island and shared with CBS News New York that she lost her son, Vincent, last summer to a fentanyl overdose.
"Losing my son has been the most difficult thing that has ever happened to me. I can't imagine anything worse," Sharon Valente said. "I miss our conversations. I miss his voice. My recommendation is to educate yourself, to never say that, 'It's not going to be my kid. It won't happen to us.'"
Back at DEA headquarters, Tarentino warns, "You should really get your prescription from a trusted family doctor and filled at a licensed pharmacist."
Because just one pill, he says, can kill.