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‘Even worse than fentanyl’: Dangerous new drug takes lives in Cincinnati and beyond

UC nursing associate professor speaks with Local 12 and The Cincinnati Enquirer about nitazenes

headshot of Cedric Ricks By Cedric Ricks 260-415-8554
4 minute read July 11, 2024

Tasha Turner-Bicknell wants residents in Greater Cincinnati to know that the illicit drug market is an increasingly dangerous threat to public health.

“Nitazenes are what we are seeing on the increase now, but over the last few years we have seen a number of dangerous adulterants in the illicit drug supply,” explains Turner-Bicknell, associate professor in the UC College of Nursing. “It’s important that the public is aware of what’s out there. Information from drug seizures can be an important tool in protecting public health.”

Nitazenes are strong synthetic opioids that were developed by researchers about 60 years ago as an alternative to morphine, but never released to the public because of their high potential for overdose. But this drug has increasingly found its way into the Tri-State and has some researchers calling it worse than fentanyl.

Turner-Bicknell spoke with Local 12 and The Cincinnati Enquirer for stories about the increasing dangers of nitazenes. She is a harm reductionist, population health nurse, and member of the board of directors for Harm Reduction Ohio. Turner-Bicknell is also director of advanced public health nursing DNP and certificate programs at UC.

headshot of Tasha Turner-Bicknell

Tasha Turner-Bicknell, associate professor of nursing at UC.

Local 12 News reported that five different types of nitazenes have been detected with two types as potent as fentanyl and others thousands of times stronger.

Hamilton County Public Health reported a 860% increase in nitazene presence in seized drug equipment. Commissioner Greg Kesterman warns that although most of the deaths have been from injectable nitazene, the drug comes in many forms.

"Sometimes when we bring a lot of press and policy attention to a certain individual drug adulterant, it might become less available,” Turner-Bicknell told Local 12 News. “So, people are looking for other means.”

Turner-Bicknell said that telling people not to do drugs isn't the only message, because the reality is that some people will still do them. She told Local 12 that educating people about doing a test dose, using a small amount, never using drugs alone and having Narcan available is important as well.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that nitazenes arrive on the heels of xylazine, another dangerous drug contaminating Hamilton County's drug supply during the opioid epidemic. Originally intended to be an animal tranquilizer, xylazine extends the euphoria for drug users but can also create skin damage so severe that amputation is necessary.

Turner-Bicknell told The Cincinnati Enquirer that both nitazenes and xylazine are the products of policy that criminalizes illicit drug use and a market that responds by churning out increasingly dangerous drugs.

"That kind of Prohibition-type of drug war, really, is like pouring gasoline on the illicit drug market," Turner-Bicknell told The Cincinnati Enquirer. "That market is always looking for something that is cheaper, faster and more potent."

Review stories featuring Tasha Turner-Bicknell online with Local 12 and The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Learn more about Tasha Turner-Bicknell online. 

Featured top image courtesy of Istock.

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