RADAR publishes ad-hoc alerts related to new drugs, trends and harms.

A public health alert about nitazene-type drugs in Scotland, was published on 24 January 2023.

This alert relates to an increase in the availability of a new group of drugs called nitazenes.

Nitazenes are potent synthetic opioids. Due to their unexpected presence in the drug supply and high potency, nitazenes pose a substantial risk of overdose, drug-related hospitalisation and drug-related death.