The death of a 21-year-old in Navarra, which occurred on August 2, 2024, and was made public in April, has raised alarms across Spain. This incident could be the first fatality in the country linked to nitazene consumption, a synthetic opioid estimated to be up to forty times more potent than fentanyl. Although reports of consumption and overdoses in Spain are scarce, countries like Estonia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland have already recorded hundreds of deaths and overdoses due to its use as an adulterant in heroin.
Nitazenes are synthetic opioids developed in Switzerland in the 1950s as analgesics but were never commercialized due to their high risk of addiction and lethality. Unlike other legal opiates such as morphine or fentanyl, this substance has never been a legal drug. Its consumption began to be detected in early 2020, mainly mixed with other drugs, in the context of clandestine laboratories seeking to exploit the fentanyl crisis in the United States.
“"They are not unknown, but since 2022-2023, more have been detected among recreational users, always mixed with other drugs like heroin, MDMA, or cocaine, to act as an adulterant."
The composition of nitazenes makes them extremely potent, causing severe effects even at low doses. Risks include overdose, respiratory depression, drowsiness, decreased consciousness, and cardiorespiratory arrest, which can be fatal. In Spain, the National Drug Plan recorded one case in 2022 and another in 2024, with a spike to six cases in 2025 and one more in 2026, with only the Navarra case linked to a death.
Detecting nitazenes is complicated, as they are often mixed with other drugs, and current hospital screening tests do not identify them. This difficulty contributes to a potential underreporting of cases. Although the geographical location of the Canary Islands might delay their arrival, authorities warn that it is impossible to completely halt their spread, as new substances tend to expand globally.
Despite concerns, there is no evidence that nitazenes have reached the Canary Islands. A national control network, including the Spanish Observatory on Drugs and Addictions (OEDA), implements an early warning system. Consumption trends in the Archipelago are similar to those in the rest of Spain and Europe, with cocaine, cannabis, and alcohol being prevalent, although their consumption appears to be decreasing among young people.
An effective antidote, naloxone, exists to counteract the effects of opioid overdose. This drug can rapidly reverse the situation. However, specialists emphasize that prevention and awareness are the most important tools for the public to make informed decisions and avoid the risks associated with consuming these substances.
