The drug has been responsible for 180 deaths across the UK so far
A dangerous drug has been linked to 180 deaths across the UK and it is being sold on an app popular with teenagers.
Nitazene is a drug 100 times stronger than heroin which is made by mixing other street drugs together including heroin.
The drug is being sold online as a pill that looks like ecstasy tablets and police warn it could kill hundreds more at festivals and parties this summer if people are not careful.
It can be sent in the post to users from listings on the Telegram app, The Mirror reports.
A listing says: ‘I can provide nitazenes for a cheap price. We can offer samples too, as long as shipping is paid for.’
It is difficult for law enforcement to infiltrate the app because of end-to-end encryption.
The drug has also been linked to 47 deaths in Scotland according to the National Crime Agency – a country that already has the highest death toll from drugs in Europe.
A former drug addict in Edinburgh who has survived nine overdoses says use of the drug is increasing.
Some batches of the drug resemble ecstasy (Picture: DEA)
The 32-year-old, who asked to be called Leanne, became addicted to heroin, valium and crack cocaine, after she started using drugs from the age of 12.
She told the BBC: ‘Addiction’s so powerful that you’ll do anything to get the drugs, whether nitazene is in it or not.
‘It’s like Russian roulette. You just need to get the drugs and that’s it.’
She’s been clean for two years and volunteers with a charity called Aid and Abet that helps drug users.
In another part of the UK, Wiltshire Police also confirmed it is aware of nitazenes.
The police force sent out a warning after a man in his 40s died in the early hours of Sunday after being found in Swindon town centre.
Use of the drug is on the rise across many parts of the UK (Picture: Unknown)
There has also been three other suspected drug related deaths in the area of adults in similar circumstances since the beginning of May.
The four people are believed to have consumed what they believed to be heroin before suffering medical episodes.
A force spokesperson said: ‘Since the start of May, the police and health professionals in Swindon have been alerted to a number of incidents where drug users have experienced very poor health from taking substances including heroin and cocaine, requiring medical attention.
‘Although these incidents have not been linked to the presence of nitazenes, Wiltshire Police and health colleagues are urging those that use drugs to take extra care and to alert family members and friends of those who may be at risk of the dangers of synthetic opioids.’
Deputy Superintendent Conway Duncan added: ‘We are in close contact with our colleagues in Public Health in relation to these circumstances and we are keen to ensure we protect people from harm where possible.
‘Of course we would never advocate anyone taking illegal substances, however, we understand there are people with addictions and it is important that they are warned about the batch of drugs which appears to be circulating in Swindon.
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‘If you are a drug user in the Swindon area, we encourage users not to use alone and to carry the opioid reversal drug naloxone and be aware of the potentially fatal consequences.’
Nitazenes were first developed in the 1950s as painkillers but were never approved because they were potent and addictive.
People then mixed them with heroin and other drugs because they were cheap to make.
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