Authorities are raising alarms about a deadly drug surge expected in the UK, with fears of increased fatalities among users in 2025
Waltham Forest: Police are sounding the alarm about a new wave of drugs that could be incredibly dangerous. They’re particularly worried about nitazenes, which are super potent and could lead to a lot of deaths in 2025.
Last year, these drugs were linked to over 230 deaths in the UK. Experts think that number could rise as dealers mix them with other substances. It’s not just the usual heroin users at risk; even people looking for anxiety relief in black market pills like Xanax and Valium could be in danger.
Dr. Judith Yates, a drug treatment specialist, emphasized how lethal nitazenes can be. Just a tiny bit too much can be fatal. It’s a real challenge to find the right dose without proper lab equipment. These drugs are meant for pain relief, but they can easily turn deadly.
With the Taliban cracking down on opium production in Afghanistan, heroin supplies are dwindling. Some dealers are now mixing nitazenes with other substances, which is alarming. Dr. Yates mentioned that some heroin samples this year didn’t even contain heroin, just nitazenes and caffeine.
Farmers in Afghanistan are trying to grow opium in areas where the Taliban has less control. They’re stockpiling it, waiting for the right moment to sell. In a recent raid in Waltham Forest, police discovered a massive drugs factory with 150,000 nitazene tablets. It was the largest seizure of this dangerous drug in the UK.
