Health experts issue new warning over synthetic drugs

Nitazenes are most commonly found in heroin but have also been detected in tablets

Health experts have issued a new warning over synthetic drugs which could explain a sharp rise in suspected drug deaths.

An update from Public Health Scotland (PHS) revealed there were 312 suspected drug-related fatalities between March and May, a 15% rise on the previous quarter.

The latest Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response report said potent synthetic opioids known a nitazenes were increasingly mixed with other drugs such as heroin.

Nitazenes were found to be present in 6% of all deaths and one expert said the figure was probably an "underestimate" because of issues with testing.

Nitazene-type opioids are often found in drugs sold as heroin, benzodiazepines and oxycodone and have been in Scotland since 2022.

The report noted an increase in reports of heroin overdoses in recent months, suspected to involve these synthetic opioids.

As well as a rise in suspected deaths, there was a 45% increase in the administration of naloxone, which is used as an emergency antidote for opioid overdoses.

Attendances at hospital emergency departments also rose by 19%.

Toxic combinations

Dr Tara Shivaji, consultant in public health medicine at PHS, said: "There are complex reasons for the increase in harms we're seeing.

"Scotland has an evolving drug supply, which is often contaminated with toxic substances.

"Most of the harm also involves the use of more than one substance. We urge caution to all people who use drugs. There's no way of telling which substances may be contaminated or what the combined effects will be."

Scotland continues to have a far higher rate of recorded drugs deaths than other European nations, including other parts of the UK.

PHS suspected drug death data is based on police reports and is different to the finalised annual figures published annually by National Records of Scotland (NRS).

The most recent NRS figures showed there were 1,172 drug misuse deaths in Scotland in 2023,an increase of 121 compared with 2022 which had seen the first fall in fatalities in several years.

A new set of official NRS statistics is due to be published in September.