New Threat on the Streets: French Authorities Warn of Highly Dangerous Synthetic Opioids

French health authorities (ANSM) recently issued a warning regarding a concerning rise in the circulation of synthetic opioids. This includes a particularly dangerous new class of opioids now classified as narcotics.

What are these substances?

Opioids are a family of substances that act in particular on the central nervous system. Used mainly as painkillers, such as morphine or fentanyl, these substances, classified as narcotics, are also the subject of an illicit market and consumption.

These substances can be of natural, semi-synthetic or synthetic origin.A new class of synthetic opioids, called nitazenes, has appeared on the drug market. They have a common chemical structure of the benzimidazole type, and are also referred to as “benzimidazole derivatives”. Most of them are more powerful than morphine.

These products come in the form of powder, tablet, liquid, in nasal sprays or in e-liquids. They are present alone or combined with other psychoactive substances and sometimes without the users' knowledge. They have been detected in samples of suspected heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, ketamine and counterfeit drugs. They are injected, inhaled or consumed nasally or rectally.

Key Points:

• As with other opioids, these benzimidazole derivatives can cause overdoses combining impaired consciousness, respiratory depression and miosis (constricted pupil). These overdoses can occur suddenly, within a very short time after taking them, and can be life-threatening, due to their potency.
• The French authorities have taken swift action by classifying this new class of synthetic opioids as narcotics. This restricts their production, sale, and possession, aiming to curb their spread and protect public health.

Sources:

• Link to the ANSM website (French): https://ansm.sante.fr/actualites/les-autorites-de-sante-alertent-sur-la-circulation-croissante-dopioides-de-synthese-dont-une-nouvelle-classe-particulierement-dangereuse-desormais-inscrite-sur-la-liste-des-stupefiants

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