”Drug checking is a free, legal and confidential service is available at clinics across the country.”
Yesterday’s High Alert notification was just the latest warning about nitazenes that are being seen in the community in increasing amounts since they were first discovered just over a year ago, the Drug Foundation said.
Adding to the concern is that many people might not know what they are getting when they take them, Helm said.
”We are concerned that the variety of forms that these drugs can come in, and the misrepresentation of what the drug is, may mean people with little experience or preparation are at risk,” she said.
”Even people who are used to taking opioids are finding themselves in trouble. Because these drugs are so potent, it is hard to measure an accurate dose.”
Helm said that the increase in nitazenes in the community also shows why improving the availability of naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medicine, is crucial.
”Naloxone saves lives and can reverse a nitazene overdose. We’re urging people to get their hands on it if they can, but we need to make it easier to get,” she said.
Late yesterday, the High Alert notification reported that an orange powder sold in Wellington as butonitazene was found to be either N-pyrrolidino-protonitazene or N-pyrrolidino-isotonitazene, which are significantly more potent.
High Alert says N-pyrrolidino-protonitazene has been implicated in many deaths internationally and is thought to be 25 times more potent than fentanyl.
In September, High Alert warned that yellow tablets being sold online as oxycodone were actually metonitazene.
Advice for staying safer if using drugs:
- Get your drugs checked at a free drug-checking clinic.
- Avoid using drugs alone.
- Avoid mixing substances, especially two or more depressants like alcohol, opioids, GHB/GBL, ketamine and benzodiazepines.
- Crush and mix your substance, start with a very low dose, and avoid taking more.
- Swallowing a substance means it has a slower onset than other methods and means there might be more time to get medical help if needed.
- Have naloxone with you.
The effects of nitazenes can include:
- Feeling euphoric or in a “dreamlike” state.
- Sedation (”the nod” – being drowsy and then jerking awake).
- Temporary relief of pain, stress or low mood.
- Severe nausea and/or vomiting.
- Severe sweating or fever.
- Slowed and/or difficulty breathing.
- Blue lips or fingertips.
- Cold and clammy skin.
- Pinpoint (tiny) pupils.
- Seizures.
- Becoming unresponsive and/or losing consciousness.
How to identify an opioid overdose
If someone shows any of these symptoms after taking a substance, call 111 and ask for an ambulance immediately. You should also give them naloxone if you have it (you may need more than one dose).
- The person’s face is pale and/or feels clammy to the touch.
- Their body goes limp.
- Their fingernails or lips have a purple or blue colour.
- They start vomiting or making gurgling or snoring noises.
- They cannot be awakened or are unable to respond.
- Their pupils become very small.
- Their breathing and/or heartbeat slows or stops.
