Overview

• Nitazenes, more potent than fentanyl, are spreading across Europe and North America.
• The UN Office on Drugs and Crime reports a surge in overdose deaths linked to these synthetic opioids.
• Afghanistan's opium production dropped by 95% in 2022 due to the Taliban's ban.
• Experts fear heroin users will turn to nitazenes, increasing health risks.
• Global drug use rose by 20% over the past decade, with opioids used by 60 million people in 2022.