UK's Synthetic Opioid Death Toll May Be Three Times Higher Than Officially Reported, Researchers Warn.
A study published by King's College London suggests that synthetic opioids like nitazenes may be responsible for hundreds more UK deaths than previously thought. Nitazenes are incredibly potent, with some estimates suggesting they are up to 500 times stronger than heroin. The UK National Crime Agency reported 333 fatalities linked to the substance in 2024, but researchers argue that these numbers may be significantly underreported.
To test this theory, scientists applied their findings to data from the UK's National Programme on Substance Use Mortality (NPSUM). After running models on the data, they discovered a significant discrepancy between reported deaths and excess deaths. In Birmingham alone, there was an excess of drug-related fatalities by 33% in 2023.
The researchers believe that toxicologists may be missing nitazenes due to the degradation of the substance in postmortem blood samples. If this is the case, it could mean that the actual number of deaths caused by synthetic opioids is being undercounted.
"This has serious implications for our understanding of drug-related mortality data," said Dr Caroline Copeland, senior lecturer in pharmacology and toxicology at King's College London. "If we're not measuring a problem properly, we don't design the right interventions, and preventable deaths will continue."
The findings come as synthetic opioids have become increasingly deadly public health concerns across the UK. In Scotland, over 100 fatalities have been linked to these substances.
With the risk of overdose and death rates continuing to rise, advocacy groups are calling on governments to be more proactive in addressing the issue. "We cannot afford to be hesitant in providing lifesaving health services to people taking illegal drugs," said Mike Trace, chief executive of the Forward Trust.
A study published by King's College London suggests that synthetic opioids like nitazenes may be responsible for hundreds more UK deaths than previously thought. Nitazenes are incredibly potent, with some estimates suggesting they are up to 500 times stronger than heroin. The UK National Crime Agency reported 333 fatalities linked to the substance in 2024, but researchers argue that these numbers may be significantly underreported.
To test this theory, scientists applied their findings to data from the UK's National Programme on Substance Use Mortality (NPSUM). After running models on the data, they discovered a significant discrepancy between reported deaths and excess deaths. In Birmingham alone, there was an excess of drug-related fatalities by 33% in 2023.
The researchers believe that toxicologists may be missing nitazenes due to the degradation of the substance in postmortem blood samples. If this is the case, it could mean that the actual number of deaths caused by synthetic opioids is being undercounted.
"This has serious implications for our understanding of drug-related mortality data," said Dr Caroline Copeland, senior lecturer in pharmacology and toxicology at King's College London. "If we're not measuring a problem properly, we don't design the right interventions, and preventable deaths will continue."
The findings come as synthetic opioids have become increasingly deadly public health concerns across the UK. In Scotland, over 100 fatalities have been linked to these substances.
With the risk of overdose and death rates continuing to rise, advocacy groups are calling on governments to be more proactive in addressing the issue. "We cannot afford to be hesitant in providing lifesaving health services to people taking illegal drugs," said Mike Trace, chief executive of the Forward Trust.
. I mean, if the actual death toll is three times higher than what's officially reported, that's just devastating. We need to talk about why toxicologists might be missing nitazenes from postmortem blood samples – it sounds like a major oversight to me. I'm all for being proactive and providing lifesaving health services, but we also need to tackle the root causes of this issue. The fact that advocacy groups are calling for governments to step up their response is music to my ears 
. We can't afford to be complacent when it comes to something as serious as synthetic opioid deaths.
The road to hell is paved with statistics that don't add up 
It's a stark reminder that even the most accurate numbers can be misleading, and it's up to us to shine a light on these discrepancies 
i mean synthetic opioids are already super deadly but if it's even 3 times more than we thought... it's like a whole different story 
imagine all those extra lives lost due to toxicologists missing the mark on lab tests and what that means for healthcare funding and support 
these numbers are scaring and the experts are right, we need better data and more targeted interventions ASAP 
OMG, this is so concerning 
. It's not just about stats, it's about people's lives 
. I'm so tired of seeing families losing loved ones due to a "misunderstood" substance. Let's educate ourselves and each other, let's talk about this more openly 
. We need to be proactive about finding solutions, not just reacting after the fact 
. This is a wake-up call, and we need to take it seriously 
.
OMG this is so scary! I'm literally shaking just thinking about it 
. We gotta take action now! 
... I mean, who wouldn't want to believe there's a problem with such potent substances? It's not like the powers that be have been slow to respond to this issue. Anyway, 33% excess deaths in one city is just a drop in the bucket compared to what might actually be going on here... and those toxicologists are probably just really bad at their jobs 
.
just thinking about all these extra deaths from nitazenes is keeping me up at night... 500 times stronger than heroin? that's like playing with fire, no joke. UK governments gotta step up and get a handle on this synthetic opioid crisis ASAP 
. Like, we thought heroin was bad but nitazenes are on another level 
...500 times stronger than heroin?! That's wild 
. Can you even imagine? It's like a ticking time bomb 
. Forward Trust is right, we need more proactive health services and education 
. This is getting out of control 
.