Opioids that are stronger than the deadly drug fentanyl are the cause of a spate of overdoses in Washington DC. The drugs, called protonitazene and isotonitazene, were found to be several times more potent than fentanyl. Fentanyl has been responsible for a series of overdose deaths in the past two years. Fentanyl is said to be over one hundred times as strong as morphine. For inexperienced users, exposure or use results in deadly overdoses.

These new drugs, called nitazenes, are passed off as other opioids, are even more potent, and likely cause an overdose.

Who Found These Nitazenes?

The District of Columbia has a lab that frequently monitors the contents of drugs anonymously.

“The DFS Public Health Lab discovered two nitazenes — synthetic opioids — in used syringes submitted to the lab as part of the District’s Needle …