VIDEO: If you haven't heard of nitazenes, you're not alone. Officials are issuing warnings about the new and deadly threat in the nation's ongoing opioid epidemic. What are nitazenes?
Nitazenes are a class of synthetic opioids that have been around since the 1950s, but now, authorities say they are being mixed with other illegal narcotics, like heroin and methamphetamine.
"Fentanyl is 50 times more powerful than heroin, 100 times more powerful than morphine and nitazenes are more powerful than fentanyl," said Frank Tarentino, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency's North Division. "Anywhere up to 5 to 10 times more powerful." According to Tarentino, the DEA's New York Division has seen less than five investigations involving nitazenes and overdoses, and poisonings.