09 Feb 2026
Deaths due to synthetic opioids nitazenes have likely been underestimated by up to a third.
Research published by King’s College London today [9th February] in Clinical Toxicology, sheds light on the UK’s growing synthetic opioid problem:
The presence of nitazenes on the unregulated drug market has risen steeply in the last seven years – prompting UK and international bodies to issue public health warnings about their use.
While the National Crime Agency (NCA) reported 333 fatalities linked to nitazenes in 2024, researchers believe that the number of deaths has been underreported as concerns have been raised by toxicologists regarding their stability in postmortem blood samples. This means they are likely being missed by postmortem toxicology tests.
Data on specific drug deaths is a major driver of policy but previous research published by Kings College London in September last year found that more than 13,000 heroin and opioid deaths have been missed off official statistics in England and Wales. The error was blamed on the government's official statistics body not having access to post-mortem reports or toxicology results.
The Forward Trust has been sounding the alarm about the arrival of synthetic forms of opiate-type drugs and regularly issues national alerts to staff in frontline services.
Our CEO Mike Trace worked as a government advisor in the last Labour government and created the UK’s first National Drug Strategy, he said;
“The extreme potency of Nitazenes has clearly contributed to rising overdose and death rates amongst people who use drugs. This research shows the official numbers are probably underestimates, supporting our calls for the government to be braver in rolling out drug testing and overdose prevention measures to save lives.
“With over 17,000 people per year across the UK dying from drug or alcohol related causes, we cannot afford to be hesitant in providing life saving health services to people taking illegal drugs.”
Dr Caroline Copeland, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology & Toxicology at King's College London, said: “If nitazenes are degrading in post-mortem blood samples, then we are almost certainly undercounting the true number of deaths that they are causing. That means we’re trying to tackle a crisis using incomplete data. When we don’t measure a problem properly, we don’t design the right interventions – and the inevitable consequence is that preventable deaths will continue.
“Understanding how nitazenes degrade, and what they degrade into, is critical. If we can identify these breakdown products and where degradation is occurring, we will be able to detect deaths more accurately and respond more effectively. Better science leads to better surveillance, and better surveillance will save lives.
“This research shows that the harm caused by nitazenes is likely being significantly underestimated. Because these drugs degrade in post-mortem blood, we may be missing up to a third of the deaths they are involved in, meaning public health responses are being designed and funded for only two-thirds of the real problem.
“Behind this undercount are people dying suddenly from extremely potent opioids, families left without answers, and communities facing a growing but largely hidden toll.”
