The U.S. is reportedly “behind the curve” in dealing with a new synthetic drug that is even more lethal than fentanyl and doesn’t respond to Narcan, as warned by DEA agents.
As U.S. and Chinese authorities intensify their efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis, some drug manufacturers, driven by profit motives, have pivoted towards creating Nitazen.
During Trump’s presidency, sanctions and tariffs were imposed on Mexico and China each year to pressure these countries into taking action against the illegal drug producers contributing to the addiction epidemic in America.
Alongside this, attempts to fortify the southern border have significantly reduced the flow of illegal fentanyl into the U.S.
However, manufacturers in China and organizations in Mexico are quickly introducing new, stronger drugs, which is something that authorities are only starting to grasp, as noted by Pullen.
“I think we really are behind on this. These synthetic opioids are tough,” he commented.
“And whenever we get to a point where we might put some regulations in place or China tightens controls on precursor chemicals, they’ll just alter the formula and switch to different precursor chemicals.”
Pullen explained that Nitazen is produced in China, often with assistance from Mexican drug cartels that finalize the product before sending it across the border.
Depending on the formulation, these drugs can be up to 43 times more potent than fentanyl, as reported by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Management Committee.
Moreover, Nitazen isn’t typically detected in routine drug tests or toxicology screenings, which complicates its identification.
The federal government is reportedly “moving forward” in addressing new threats, but Pullen insists there’s still much work to do.
“It’s tough to get beyond this, so we need to enhance enforcement at the border,” he mentioned.
Notably, the number of overdose deaths has been declining in the U.S., which some attribute to this enforcement. However, Narcan, a key antidote, is also a significant factor, and progress is being made.
In 2024, the U.S. faced around 80,000 overdose deaths, a notable decrease from about 110,000 in 2023, according to the CDC.
The growing availability of Narcan has had a positive effect on reducing overdose fatalities, but the problem with Nitazenes is that they’re often resistant to such antidotes, which is something Pullen highlighted as quite alarming.
“It’s an extremely dangerous situation. Normal treatments like naloxone aren’t very effective against Nitazen because it’s just so much stronger,” he explained.
“If someone ingests it, it can be really challenging to address.” In Houston, there were 15 reported deaths linked to Nitazen between November and February, according to the DEA.
Among the casualties were two young individuals, 22-year-old Lucci Reyes-McCallister and 21-year-old Hunter Clement, who unknowingly consumed pills masquerading as Xanax and Percocet.
Their mothers are now speaking out, hoping to raise awareness among American youth to prevent similar tragedies.
“They might think something is safe when, in reality, it could be deadly,” Lucci’s mother, Gray, expressed recently.
“The urgency of it all really hit me. Lucci’s death shouldn’t be in vain,” she added.
Originally developed as an alternative to morphine about 60 years ago, the drug was eventually banned due to its high potential for overdose.
Europe has already seen casualties linked to synthetic drugs, with Nitazen first identified in the U.S. in 2019.
Earlier this year, a Florida man admitted to distributing Protonitazen after receiving it from China.
Customs officials are also closely monitoring this drug, revealing that shipments come through the airport in varying quantities multiple times a week, as shared by Andrew Renna, the assistant port director for airport cargo operations.
