An “incredibly powerful” new drug available on the dark web has been linked to an increase in drug-related deaths in Northern Ireland, a coroner’s court has heard.
At an inquest into the death of 33-year-old Jay Woolsey on Monday, a coroner warned of the “emerging threat” of Nitazene, a psychoactive substance and highly potent synthetic opioid stronger than heroin.
“Their potency and risk of fatal overdose cannot be overstated,” Anne-Louise Toal told the hearing, sitting at Banbridge courthouse.
Mr Woolsey, from Tandragee Road in Portadown, was found dead at his home by his mother on August 9th last year.
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A postmortem found his death was caused by respiratory failure after ingesting several substances, including pyrrolidino isotonitazene, from the Nitazene group of drugs.
His mother, Gillian McCann, was able to access his computer and found how he searched for drugs online.
Giving evidence, Mrs McCann spoke of the impact of her son’s death.
“Our lives are just completely devastated,” she said.
“We will never be okay again without having Jay there.”
Forensic pathologist Mark Egan, who carried out the postmortem, said the drug had caused Mr Woolsey’s lungs to “slow down” and that its strong sedative effect had likely led him to fall asleep before entering respiratory arrest.
Dr Egan told the court that Nitazene was around “20 times more potent than fentanyl” and “several times more potent than morphine and heroin”.
Levels of cannabis, MDMA and methamphetamines were also identified in his toxicology report. There was no alcohol in his blood.
In her evidence, Mrs McCann spoke of how her son had struggled with mental health problems since his early teens and was receiving counselling.
He “wanted help” and texted his mother to say he had received counselling two nights before his death, she told the court.
She was due to meet him and believed he was looking forward to his future.
“Jay was a very charismatic, lovely guy. He was piano-trained, played guitar and loved to make music. He was a great son and great brother. He tried to be the best father he could to his wee boy,” she said.
Forensic scientist Amy Quinn told the court that Nitazenes were being sold as tablets, powders, nasal sprays, for injection or inhalation through sniffing or vaping.
“They’ve also been found as an adulterant in other illicit products, such as cocaine and other opioids with heroin and fentanyl,” said Dr Quinn.
She said it “wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility” that Mr Woolsey wouldn’t have known that the drug he bought online contained the substance.
The police officer investigating the case, PSNI detective constable Simon Duffin, said he believed Mr Woolsey had bought drugs on the dark web.
A postal package found in his home indicated he was “buying drugs online”, he told the court.
However, the detective noted the difficulties in tracing online sellers due to the nature of the dark web.
“It shows a random web address, it’s a jumbled-up mess of letters and numbers that don’t tell you what the website is,” he said.
He said he was aware of “several deaths” in the area linked to Nitazene.
Before delivering her findings, the coroner praised Mrs McCann’s courage in raising awareness about drugs following her son’s death.
“I believe it is every parent’s worst nightmare to live through this,” she said.
Ms Toal said the inquest had highlighted “the emerging threat of Nitazene as a drug of abuse”.
“It is clear that the death of Jay, an otherwise healthy 33-year-old man, who should have been expected to have many years ahead of him, should serve to underline such dangers.”
