Why health experts are worried this highly toxic drug has reached Tasmania
Health experts are warning about an emerging group of highly potent opioids in Tasmania, some of which can be hundreds of times stronger than morphine and stronger even than fentanyl. Subscribe now for. . .
Health experts are warning about an emerging group of highly potent opioids in Tasmania, some of which can be hundreds of times stronger than morphine and stronger even than fentanyl. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue readingAll articles from our website& appThe digital version ofToday'sPaperAll otherin your areaNitazenes are a class of synthetic opioids developed by Swiss researchers during the 1950s as an alternative to morphine. Blue pills; ATDC chief executive Dr Jackie Hallam. File picture, suppliedNever approved for medical use, nitazenes are a prohibited substance and available only on the black market. Since 2021, the drugs have been detected in every Australian state and territory except Tasmania, and have taken lives. Now, there are reports that the drug has reached Tasmanian emergency departments. Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council chief executive Dr Jackie Hallam said there have been increasing reports of nitazenes in Tasmania. "We do know that nitazenes are in Hobart. It's been picked up by a national monitoring system that is in the Royal Hobart Hospital and the emergency department," she said. "We are extremely concerned for the health of Tasmanians moving forward. "While it is unclear how many cases of nitazenes, if any, have been reported in the North, Ms Hallam said it was probable that nitazenes had now spread around Tasmania. "The rest of the state should definitely be concerned. People who use drugs travel and they can often be transient, and drugs are sent through the mail," she said. Health Minister Bridget Archer said the government was not aware of an issue relating to nitazenes or nitazene contamination in Tasmania. "We know that nitazenes and fentanyl, for that matter, are issues that are being seen elsewhere," she said. Ms Archer said the Department of Health is closely monitoring the situation. However, because of how recently the drug emerged in the Australian market, there is a shortage of formal research about the use and effects of nitazenes. Nitazenes are sold as a white powder and a crystal. They have been found in fake oxycodone tablets, heroin, ketamine and synthetic cannabinoids. In 2025, a Victorian coroner found that protonitazene, a form of the drug, was responsible for the deaths of Carly Morse, Thomas Vale, Michael Hodgkinson and Abdul El Sayed. The four believed the drug they were inhaling was cocaine when in fact it was laced with the highly potent protonitazene, the coroner found. "Nitazenes can appear in different types of drugs, so for example if you buy a powder, and you think it's cocaine, and you buy it from the illicit market, there's no guarantee that the drug is what you thought it was," Ms Hallam said. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) alcohol and other drugs spokesperson Dr Marguerite Tracy said harm minimisation measures like pill testing would be a sensible approach to reducing risk associated with nitazenes. "These services are not about condoning illicit drug use. It's a sensible harm minimisation measure proven in many places around the world to save lives," she said. Dr Marguerite Tracy. Picture supplied RACGPMs Archer ruled out changes to the government's position when asked if it would fully fund pill testing, standing by the government's decision to not provide the service. "Illegal drugs are illegal for a reason," Ms Archer said. "We continue to support a harm-minimisation approach to drug use in Tasmania. "Naloxone is an opioid treatment widely available at pharmacies for free under the federal government's Take Home Naloxone program. Dr Tracy said naloxone will reverse the effects of nitazenes for a short time. Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14 or beyondblue 1300 224 636. More from Court and CrimeAs it happensBreaking news alertBe the first to know when news breaks.