Drugs 1000 times stronger than heroin could ruin this summer's music festivals, charities warn

2 May 2024, 07:31 | Updated: 2 May 2024, 08:21

• Written and Reported by: Connor Hand, Bronwen Weatherby, Chris Chambers and Tomos Rogers

Music festivals such as Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds could be plagued by synthetic opioids up to 1000 times stronger than heroin, LBC has been warned.

It is believed that the global supply constraints on heroin is fuelling demand for ultra-potent narcotics like nitazines, an illegal man-made opioid often imported from Chinese labs.

One senior policing source has even suggested to LBC that the supply of heroin in the UK could be completely exhausted within a year, with nitazenes filling the vacuum.

Initially detected in heroin supplies, it is now believed nitazenes could be present in the wider drugs market, including in counterfeit versions of pills such as Xanax and Valium, ketamine and cocaine.

Professor Harry Sumnall, an expert in substance abuse at Liverpool John Moores University, explained that organised crime groups are turning to the “next best thing”, as the supply of opium from Afghanistan diminishes.

“A couple of years ago, the Taliban banned the production of opium as part of its wider political agenda…" he said.

"There's a demand for opioid drugs [and] if heroin is not there, then organised crime groups will probably move to the next best thing, and this is going to include synthetic opioids like nitazenes.

“Nitazenes are very, very potent - maybe 500-1000 times more potent than heroin, for example - and that means that a very small amount can cause quite serious effects.”

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On Sunday, a major incident was declared in Westward Ho!, north Devon, after two people died from what police called an “unusual batch” of heroin. It has not been confirmed whether it contained nitazenes or other forms of synthetic opioids.

However, it is believed that in the last year alone, 150 people in the UK have lost their lives due to nitazenes.

And there are fears that the increasing prevalence of nitazines could lead to a surge in overdoses and drug-related deaths.

Danielle, a drug user from Burnley, opened up about the human cost she believed was being caused by synthetic opioids.

“I know a lot of people who’ve died from it," she said. "In the last six weeks, there’s been about eight deaths, and that’s either from heroin or taking ketamine - because it’s all cut with nitazenes.

“People who’ve been doing [heroin] for years are having one hit and going over… two of my good mates have died lately.”

However, it is not just the welfare of consistent Class A drug users that is of concern to charities and medical professionals.

Director of operations at Bristol Drugs Project, Lydia Plant, expressed particular concern about this summer’s festival season, suggesting that the rising presence of synthetic opioids across the drug supply could result in trouble for recreational drug users.

Ms Plant said: “This would be the first summer that we’ll potentially see nitazenes in the wider drugs market… [including in] Codeine tablets, ‘Benzos’ like Xanax or Valium, THC vapes [and] ketamine.”

“We are really worried, and so are colleagues in drug charities across the country, because we’ve already seen the impact nitazenes have had on people who use heroin, and [it's] been really devastating to lose so many people to an avoidable death.”

Ms Plant’s concerns are echoed by CEO of Kaleidoscope, Martin Blakebrough, who added that drugs testing facilities should be fully funded to operate at such events.

“The problem is if you have people who are inexperienced drug users not at all aware of nitazenes going to a festival and their drug is split with nitazenes," he said.

“That could be absolutely deadly unless we get organisations like the Loop Testing [a charity which is able to test drugs at festivals to see what they could be cut with] for those drugs in those locations.”

The risks posed by nitazenes have been recognised by police forces across the UK.

Chief Superintendent Gareth Williams, who leads the British Transport Police’s County Lines operation, confirmed that synthetic opioids have become a “huge concern” for police.

“We’re about keeping the public safe so the prevalence of synthetic opioids is a massive risk to us. It will claim lives in the UK and it’s something we need to tackle head on,” Mr Williams said.

Responding to LBC’s findings, the National Crime Agency’s Deputy Director Charles Yates said: “The NCA, working closely with policing, Border Force and other international partners is ensuring that all lines of enquiry are prioritised and vigorously pursued to stem any supply of nitazenes to and within the UK.

“Since June 2023, we have seen an increase in the prevalence of synthetic opioids/nitazenes in the UK. However, based on forensic analysis the vast majority of heroin seized has not been fortified with nitazenes and continues to feature typical adulterants.

Separately, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Any death from an illegal drugs overdose is an avoidable tragedy, and we are committed to combating the trade and use of illegal drugs.

“We are highly alert to the threat from synthetic drugs and have established a cross-government taskforce to co-ordinate our response to the risk from synthetic opioids, including nitazenes, to the UK.

“Our drug strategy is focused on tackling the supply of illicit drugs through relentless policing action, and we are investing £532 million to build a world-class system of treatment and recovery to turn people's lives around and prevent crime.”