Health

HSE issues alert about potent synthetic opioid being sold as heroin in Dublin and Cork

Drug users being urged to ‘treat all powders with extreme caution’

The HSE says there is a 'high risk' for heroin users. Photograph: Agency stock

Olivia Kelleher
Sat Feb 3 2024 - 11:35

The HSE has issued a red alert this bank holiday weekend amid “ongoing concern” about a potent synthetic opioid being sold on the streets of Dublin and Cork as heroin.

HSE Ireland says that two types of nitazenes are being found on the market.

“Nitazenes can come in a variety of different coloured powders. Treat all powders with extreme caution at this time. The HSE continues to monitor the market. Nitazene type drugs have also been found in illicit tablets in the UK.”

N-Pyrrolidino protonitazene is stronger than fentanyl. The HSE indicates that there is a “high risk for people who use heroin at this time”.

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“These substances may appear sporadically and unexpectedly. This means that there is ongoing concern for people who use heroin in these areas and there is a high risk of nitazene exposure and overdose,” it said.

These drugs are very new to the Irish market and there could be a risk of them appearing in other regions, it added.

Last November, the HSE National Social Inclusion Office was notified of overdoses of concern occurring in homeless settings in Inner City Dublin.

This triggered an urgent review across a number of information sources to identify possible signals of change on the Dublin drug market.

Data was monitored by the HSE from the 9th – 12th November which was the main period where overdose clusters were reported. A total of 57 non-fatal overdoses were recorded during this time.

Analysis by Forensic Science Ireland of a sample obtained by gardaí on the evening of November 10th confirmed the emergence of nitazenes in a light brown/sandy coloured powder on the Dublin heroin market.

This resulted in the HSE issuing a red alert for the city. This was later confirmed as N-Pyrrolidino protonitazene which was a first identification for Ireland and a substance which is under intensive monitoring by the EU Drugs Agency.

In addition to the initial Dublin outbreak, nitazenes have since been detected on the Cork market following a steady increase of overdoses in the city. As of mid December, red alerts remain in place for the Dublin and Cork Regions.

An Irish National Red Alert Group (NRAG) has been formed to monitor cases of concern and to rapidly respond to future outbreaks should they occur.

The HSE indicates that at present, it is only the heroin market which is impacted by the emergence of nitazenes in Ireland.

“Of concern is the emergence of these substances being sold as falsified tablets in the UK (mainly as benzodiazepines and oxycodone).

“This is an area that needs to be intensively monitored for future developments. There are always risks and all drug user groups are advised to follow harm reduction measures and get medical help immediately if a person becomes unwell.”

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