Multiple state agencies put out a warning this month about a potent new opioid that appears to be increasingly prevalent in the state — nitazene.
The Department of Public Safety, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Department of Mental Health wrote in their alert that nitazene can be five to 10 times more potent than fentanyl.
Capt. Scott White of the Missouri State Highway Patrol said nitazenes were first identified in the Missouri illicit drug supply in 2023, but following recent wastewater surveillance reports from Missouri schools, it appears to be becoming more common in the state.
“In many communities, and especially the smaller ones, the schools are the hub of activity,” White said. “The children are there, but then you also have parents, you have other family members that are there. For it to be located in the schools or in the wastewater, it’s in that community.”
The school-based wastewater surveillance program is operated by DPS, and schools across the state can sign up to participate. White said 37 schools are currently participating, and since mid-January, 26 of them have tested positive for the presence of nitazene.
He said since the positive tests, the Highway Patrol’s school resource officers have been working closely with schools to ensure they have adequate education on nitazene and access to naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.
Dr. Heidi Miller, the chief medical officer for DHSS, said that due to the potency of nitazene, infinitesimal amounts of the drug can lead to overdose.
“So, this is a reminder for us to be vigilant, to do everything we can, to educate our children and ourselves to not even try it once. But really, because this is so potent, it is possible for one dose to overdose,” Miller said.
According to the state’s alert, nitazene can show up in many forms and in many other illicit substances, such as counterfeit pills, unregulated cannabis products and even vape liquid.
“A lot of people don’t know that they may be taking it, and they’re so potent that it takes very little bit of a nitazene — maybe a few granules of powder — to have a very strong effect on the human body,” Miller said.
Miller stressed to first call 911 if an overdose is suspected, then administer naloxone. She did note, however, that due to nitazene’s strength, it could take multiple doses to fully reverse an overdose.
Naloxone is available throughout the Boone County area at public distribution boxes, as well as at Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services.
This story was provided through a partnership between The St. Louis American and St. Louis Public Radio.
This article originally appeared here