"The Emergence of Nitazenes: A Growing Synthetic Drug Threat"

Experts warn that the synthetic opioids xylazine and nitazene, more deadly than fentanyl, are becoming a major drug crisis in Illinois, with xylazine playing a role in 531 deaths and nitazene in 141 deaths in Cook County since 2019. The drugs, often mixed with other substances like fentanyl, pose a significant threat, and the White House has released a National Response Plan to address the increasing number of overdoses.