DOI: https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/30235

• Nitazenes are a class of highly potent synthetic opioids. There have been increasing detections of nitazenes, and growing reports of harms from their use both in Australia and globally
• A total of 1751 listings selling nitazenes were identified from 15 cryptomarkets in the period from February 2023 to January 2024.
• There was an increase in the percentage and number of nitazene listings on the cryptomarkets over the 12-month period.
• Approximately 3 in 4 nitazene listings (78%) were offered as available for delivery to Australia.
• Isotonitazene, protonitazene and metonitazene were the most frequently identified nitazenes in the 12-month period.

Funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care under the Drug and Alcohol Program ©NDARC, UNSW SYDNEY 2024. This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. All other rights are reserved. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the information manager, NDARC, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia via drugtrends@unsw.edu.au.

Man N, Sadaphale V, Barratt MJ, Bruno R, Sutherland R, Peacock A. Availability of nitazenes for purchase in Australia and internationally via cryptomarkets. Drug Trends Bulletin Series. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney; 2024. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/30235

We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their contribution to the DNeT project: Anant Mathur, Max Pedersen, Rajat Katyal, Dr Qingyuan Linghu, Agata Chrzanowska, Dr Amanda Roxburgh, Joe van Buskirk, A/Prof Lucinda Burns, A/Prof Timothy Dobbins, Dr Courtney Breen, Sundresan Naicker and Rosie Swanton.

• DNeT Nitazenes pdf