A second person has died in Queensland after taking drugs suspected to be laced with a deadly type of synthetic opioid.
The second death in September linked to nitazenes comes one month out from schoolies week, and just weeks since the state government banned pill testing.
The latest death has sparked a public health warning from the health department because a new, unstudied type nitazene was involved.
The new type was found in a white powder in a plastic zip lock bag marked “opioid F5” and did not react to nitazene test strips.
There is little potency or toxicology data about 5-cyano-isotodesnitazene, an alert from Queensland Health says.
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“It is a novel nitazene only recently detected for the first time in Australia.”
Nitazenes produce symptoms similar to heroin and fentanyl; extreme drowsiness, pin point pupils, obstructed breathing and respiratory failure, and blue or purple skin.
“If you or someone you know suspects you have this substance, do not consume instead dispose of it safely,” the alert says.
“Seek medical attention immediately if you or someone you know experiences any toxic effects following drug use,” the alert says.
Earlier this month, Queensland Health was forced to issue another nitazene alert. Two different types of nitazenes were found in a separate toxicology test.
The two types of nitazenes are N-pyrrolidino protonitazene, and protonitazene.
These types were found in pale yellow bear-shaped pills, with the letter “Y”.
Nitazenes have been filtering into Australia, or being cooked here, for just a few years, but are dozens of times more potent than heroin. They are often cut into common recreational drugs such as ecstasy.
The ABC reports the first Queensland death this month was linked to the pale yellow pills and the second death has been linked to the “opioid F5” powder.
Queensland Health directed questions about the two cases to the Coroner’s Court, which has been contacted for comment.
“Nitazenes are very strong synthetic opioids that work like heroin or fentanyl and could produce life-threatening toxicity in small amounts,” the Queensland public health alerts say.
When the Queensland government banned pill testing in September, Australian Medical Association Queensland president Nick Yim said it was the wrong decision.
“We know from pill testing, from worldwide research and evidence, it does save lives,” Dr Yim told the ABC.
“It does provide an opportunity for individuals to have their pills tested, but at the same time, and more importantly, have a conversation with a healthcare professional,” Dr Yim said.
“From our local research and studies, many individuals have also disposed of their illicit drugs and not even taken them at the end of the day.”
In April, the Queensland government defunded CheQpoint which ran pill testing sites in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
In September, laws were rushed through parliament which outlawed private funding for pill testing.
There are currently pill testing sites in NSW, the ACT and Victoria, as well as New Zealand and the practice has been in use in Europe for decades.
A University of Queensland study into the state’s pill testing regime, released this year, found testing services had resulted in “valuable harm reduction”, noting those who had used the service reported reduced drug use.
The study included a survey over 12 months of 1341 people at the two pill testing sites, as well as major festivals, and found pill testing allowed three quarters of participants to have their first conversation on drug health.
NewsWire has contacted Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls’ office about this second suspected nitazene death.
