United States Drug Enforcement Administration

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Field Division is issuing an urgent public safety advisory to residents across the Northshore, specifically St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington Parishes, warning of a deadly group of synthetic opioids known as nitazenes following a recent surge in fatal overdoses.

Forensic analysis and recent law enforcement seizures reveal that nitazenes (an unregulated class of synthetic opioids never approved for medical use) are increasingly circulating through Northshore communities. Sourced primarily from foreign chemical suppliers, nitazenes are frequently mixed into fentanyl powder, heroin, or pressed into counterfeit prescription pills to make drugs cheaper to manufacture and significantly more potent. 

What You Need to Know About Nitazenes:

• Extreme Potency:Nitazenes can be significantly more powerful than fentanyl, drastically accelerating the onset of a life-threatening overdose. 
• Undetectable to the User:In powder form, nitazenes may appear off-white, yellow, or brown, but when pressed into fake prescription medication, they are visually indistinguishable from legitimate pharmaceuticals. They can only be identified through specialized laboratory testing. 
• Requires Multiple Naloxone Doses: Because nitazenes are synthetic opioids, naloxone (Narcan) remains effective, but due to their extreme potency, multiple doses of naloxone are often required to reverse an overdose and restore breathing. 
• Rapid Evolution:As law enforcement and international regulations target individual analogues, illicit laboratories quickly introduce new nitazene variants. DEA forensic laboratories have identified over 20 unique nitazene compounds in recent years. 

DEA Safety & Action Guidance:

1. Never consume a pill not directly prescribed to you and dispensed by a licensed pharmacy. Counterfeit prescription pills purchased on the street or via social media are overwhelmingly illicit and potentially lethal. 
2. Assume all street drugs contain hidden synthetic additives. 
3. Carry naloxone and be prepared to administer multiple doses. Call 911 immediately upon administering the first dose, as emergency medical care is critical. 
4. Report suspicious drug activity or suspected counterfeit pill sales to local law enforcement or DEA tips channels.

The DEA New Orleans Field Division is working alongside parish sheriffs and local police departments in St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington Parishes to trace the supply chains of these dangerous synthetics and hold traffickers accountable.

For additional resources and prevention information, visit DEA.gov/fentanylfree and DEA.gov/onepill.