New Drug Crisis Causing Misery And Danger On Liverpool Streets

A new investigation shows Liverpool as one of the worst affected cities by the terrifying drug, reports the Liverpool Echo.

A new opioid crisis is causing a wave of overdoses across the country – with Liverpool thought to be one of the worst affected places in the country. An investigation by new magazine Dispatch has found that nitazenes – which are a synthetic opioids 40 times stronger than fentanly and 500 times more potent than heroin – are leading to large numbers of overdoses in cities and towns across the UK. Dispatch found that the worst-hit local authorities to feel the dangers and impact of these opioid-related overdoses included Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham and Liverpool.

Nitazenes are up to 500 times more potent than heroin and the investigation found they are smuggled into the UK and US from China disguised as Oxycodone, Benzodiazepines and, more recently, heroin. The government has refused to publish data on the prevalence of nitazenes. To get around this, Dispatch sent Freedom of Information requests to every ambulance service in the UK to see where and when they were administering naloxone, which is a drug used by health workers to reverse the impacts of opioids and prevent overdoses. The figures – which covered the use of naloxone across the year of 2024 showed that the worst hit places were Birmingham, with 720 recorded uses, Glasgow (615) and Leicester (507). Liverpool was not far behind with 302 incidences.

Within the city, the worst affected postcodes were L1 with 35 recorded uses of naloxone (perhaps unsurprising as the city centre), followed by L20 and L3 (31 uses), L4 (28) and L8 (26). The ECHO has previously reported on the issues of opioid use and specifically the dangers of nitazenes in the city. We spoke to Robbie Dreha from the YMCA Together organisation in the city, which aims to support issues of homelessness, mental health and drug and alcohol abuse in Liverpool. Mr Dreha said that in recent years the charity has been battling an opioid crisis on the streets of Liverpool. The problem has become hugely exacerbated as opioids are being mixed with nitazenes – a drug that was recently revealed to have been smuggled into the UK inside dog food and catering supplies – to cut costs for dealers. Users often end up taking the hugely powerful drug without knowing.

Mr Dreha said: “There are a lot of synthetic opioids that are becoming readily available in the UK, particularly Liverpool. We’ve sorted incidents where nitazene, an opioid about 500 times stronger than a normal hit of heroin, has been taken. We’ve seen them being ordered from China and in different colours – say brown and blue – and this means dealers can adulterate them to suit the market. This is fatal stuff for people who come into contact with them.”

Nitazenes were developed by researchers around 60 years ago as an alternative to morphine, but because of their high potential for overdose, they were never released.

Speaking about opioid issues in Liverpool and what authorities are doing to address them, Professor Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health for Liverpool told the ECHO: “Opiate use is a significant issue for many communities, and I want to reassure you that we are taking steps to address this challenge in our city. Liverpool’s preparedness plan includes elements of prevention, intelligence and monitoring, enforcement, treatment, and recovery. Widening and increasing access to Naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose drug, is a key part of our approach to reducing harm and lives lost due to drug-related overdoses involving substances like heroin or opioids. This work also supports the government’s ambition to prevent nearly 1,000 deaths in England by the end of 2025.”

“We have taken a partnership and proactive approach here in Liverpool to strengthening intelligence around non-fatal overdoses and to highlight the risks to people who use drugs of using drugs alone. With increases in the risk of contaminated drugs we have, we reinforce messages for the need to carry more than one naloxone kit, as multiple/repeated doses may be needed when an overdose occurs. We will also continue to boost training to those who need it in as many settings as possible, such as outreach workers, temporary accommodation, services working with people who use drugs, to ensure staff are familiar with the signs of overdose and how we can reduce risks and in the use of naloxone to save lives in the event of an overdose.”

He added: “We have laid the groundwork for sustainable, long-term improvements by recently re-commissioning existing separate drug and alcohol services into a single service model. The new service ‘River’ is an all-age integrated service providing confidential, tailored pathways for adults and young people that addresses both treatment and recovery. It promises a visible, accessible, and inclusive service, tailored to meet the needs of people and their families, committed to working collaboratively to make Liverpool a safer and healthier place for all.”