A class of synthetic opioids, called nitazenes, can be up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl. Fentanyl is already 50 times more powerful than heroin. Nitazenes have been found in street drugs across the Midwest and Northeast since 2019. Xylazine, a non-opioid animal tranquilizer, is also making its way into the illicit drug supply, particularly in the Northeast. The sedative effects of xylazine are so powerful that a person can suffocate, for example, if lying face down on a pillow.Read Long Article
