By Cameron English
— Sep 02, 2025
The use of a newer class of opioids, nitazenes, is growing across the US. Once rarely seen in illicit markets before 2019, the drugs have been found on nearly every continent at this point. Their elevated potency—250 to 900 times stronger than morphine for the most common nitazene—makes them far deadlier than heroin and fentanyl. Can we slow or stop the use of these opioids before they do more damage?
Join Cameron English and Dr. Chuck Dinerstein on Episode 131 of the Science Dispatch podcast as they discuss:
After warning for years—to policymakers’ deaf ears—that doubling down on failed drug war policies will only cause more dangerous drugs, like nitazenes, to emerge, we see it happening in real time.
Listen to the Science Dispatch on iTunes Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts. Or add the RSS feed to your favorite podcast app. Join our Dispatch newsletter to get these stories and more delivered to your inbox.
Category
Cameron English
Director of Bioscience
Cameron English is a writer, editor and co-host of the Science Facts and Fallacies Podcast. Before joining ACSH, he was managing editor at the Genetic Literacy Project.
