First bill to combat nitazenes introduced in Congress

Two congressmen recently introduced the first bill in Congress aimed at curbing a rise in nitazenes, a class of synthetic opioids up to 40 times stronger than fentanyl. Reps. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., and Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., proposed legislation that would classify all nitazenes as Schedule 1 drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, according to Vindman’s office. Overdose deaths from the drugs were already rising, Vindman’s office said in a statement.

Schedule 1 drugs have no federally accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. They are subject to tight government restrictions and penalties. Heroin, LSD, and marijuana are all classified under Schedule 1, while fentanyl falls under the lighter Schedule 2, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The DEA identified nitazenes as a threat earlier this year, according to Vindman’s office. The drugs’ potency, low cost, and resistance to anti-overdose drugs like naloxone present a danger, Vindman’s statement said.

What are nitazenes? The drugs were developed about 60 years ago as a morphine alternative, but never released due to their high potential for overdose, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Nitazenes can appear as a white or brownish yellow powder or as a crystalline solid. They have also been found in other drugs and in fake oxycodone tablets, according to the foundation.

Dig deeper: Read my report on President Donald Trump’s push for COVID-19 drugmakers to publish their data.