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Opioid 25x More Potent than Fentanyl Tied to 20 Overdose Deaths in U.S., UK
Forensic Magazine ^ | September 11, 2023 | Michelle Taylor

Posted on 09/12/2023 3:23:38 PM PDT by nickcarraway

From one end of the country to the other, officials are tracking yet another nitazene analogue that has caused at least 20 overdose deaths to date. Recently acquired in vitro pharmacological data shows this emergent novel synthetic opioid—called N-pyrrolidino protonitazene (also protonitazepyne)—is 25x more potent than fentanyl.

Nitazene analogues are a novel class of synthetic opioids that can be up to 40 times more potent than fentanyl and up to 500 times more potent than morphine. While they vary in potency, most retain opioid receptor activity.

In January, for example, the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education (CFSRE), identified N-Desethyl isotonitazene in samples from Pennsylvania and Florida. This nitazene analogue is up to 20x more potent than fentanyl. N-desethyl was first found in urine samples from a drug treatment program in Pennsylvania in September 2022. The synthetic opioid then quickly made its way south, showing up in counterfeit “A215” round blue tablets that were sold as oxycodone in Florida in November 2022.

Similarly, N-Pyrrolidino protonitazene was first reported by CFSRE’s NPS Discovery in January 2023, but the date of first sample collection was as early as December 2022. Now, as of August 2023, N-pyrrolidino protonitazene has been confirmed in 20 forensic toxicology cases, all of which were medicolegal death investigations.

The cases originated from 7 states across the continental U.S.: Maine (1), Massachusetts (1), Illinois (6), Wisconsin (3), Minnesota (1), Wyoming (3) and California (1). According to CFSRE’s data, there have also been four N-Pyrrolidino protonitazene­ overdose deaths in the U.K. In Australia, public health officials have reported protonitazene as a yellow powder being sold as ketamine.

In the analyzed samples, N-Pyrrolidino protonitazene­ was found in combination with:

Additional novel psychoactive substances- 70% Quinine- 60% Other Nitazene analogues- 55% Methamphetamine/cocaine- 55% Fentanyl- 55% Xylazine (zombie drug)- 35% NPS benzodiazepines- 30% “The toxicity of N-pyrrolidino protonitazene has not been examined or reported but recent association with overdoses among people who use drugs leads professionals to believe that this synthetic opioid has the potential to cause harm and is of high public health concern globally,” said the CFSRE in a recent public health alert.

In the field, FTIR and fentanyl test strips are not effective for detecting nitazene analogues. Naloxone should work to reverse a suspected overdose, although repeated administration may be necessary. Additionally, the condition of the patient could change rapidly and unpredictably after naloxone administration due to other drugs or precipitation of withdrawal, which may be more severe with faster onset.

In the forensic lab, non-targeted testing protocols should be used for synthetic opioids and novel drugs. Mass spectrometry-based screening is necessary, though in some cases, even GC-MS sensitivity may not be adequate.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: drugs; opioid

1 posted on 09/12/2023 3:23:38 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Just divide a grain of rice by 25 to get an idea of how little is needed to kill you. “

One of these days, somebody is going to slather a door knob with this stuff, just to make life hell for thousands of people.


2 posted on 09/12/2023 3:28:13 PM PDT by Jonty30 (If liberals were truth tellers, they'd call themselves literals. )
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To: nickcarraway

Drug Cartels constantly improving their product. I guess the Cartels have some of those MBAs on staff.


3 posted on 09/12/2023 3:42:41 PM PDT by RetiredTexasVet (Biden not only suffers fools and criminals, he appoints them to positions of responsibility. )
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To: nickcarraway

Equianalgesic table

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equianalgesic

10mg of oral morphine = 1. All the other drugs are shown in fractions and multiples. Fentanyl is 50-100 times stronger. Carfentanil is 10,000 times stronger. Lofentanil is 10,000-100,000 times stronger. And 14-Methoxymetopon (intraspinally) is 1,000,000 times stronger.

Note: this chart is very outdated. There are at least 200 drugs superior to oral morphine that need to be added to the list.


4 posted on 09/12/2023 3:45:58 PM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("All he had was a handgun. Why did you think that was a threat?" --Rittenhouse Prosecutor)
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To: nickcarraway

With that potency, we should be able to spend a few million dollars to manufacture some and provide all the addicts with free fixes at a safe dosage.

This would take the crime out of the drug trade.

If people want to take opioids and live life as a vegetable, why should I care?


5 posted on 09/12/2023 4:14:07 PM PDT by FarCenter (https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/aircraft-glitch-delays-canada-pm-trudeaus-departure-india-202)
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To: nickcarraway

“emergent novel synthetic opioid”

Lots of Emergent Novel Shiite floating around these days.

Wouldn’t have anything to do with a Reverse Opium War now, would it?

Why fight when you can just medicate the other side out of existence?


6 posted on 09/12/2023 4:16:02 PM PDT by Macoozie (Handcuffs and Orange Jumpsuits)
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To: nickcarraway
Life is short Filled with stuff Don't know what for I ain't had enough I've learned all I know By the age of nine But I could better myself If I could only find Some new kind of kick Something I ain't had Some new kind of buzz I wanna go hog mad I'm lookin' and lookin' and lookin' for Something I ain't had before I'm lookin' and lookin' and lookin' and lookin' to find Some new kind of kick Some new kind of kick Gimme a kick I want a kick

The Cramps, new kind of kick

7 posted on 09/12/2023 4:52:47 PM PDT by thegagline (Sic semper tyrannis! Goldwater in 2024)
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To: Jonty30

Make paste out of it and smear a little on the wrist of child rapists and death row inmates.


8 posted on 09/12/2023 4:57:52 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants ( "It is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled."- Mark Twain)
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To: RetiredTexasVet

Send some to Joe, Hunter and Obozo as they are responsible for allowing it into the Country.


9 posted on 09/12/2023 5:24:59 PM PDT by chopperk
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To: nickcarraway
"... synthetic opioid—called N-pyrrolidino protonitazene
(also protonitazepyne)—is 25x more potent than fentanyl."

But liberal states avoid imposing the death penalty
by claiming that they can't find reliable enough
drugs to administer to their condemned inmates. Sure.

10 posted on 09/12/2023 8:31:39 PM PDT by StormEye
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