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Mumbai, August 14: Drug abuse has been on the rise across the world, and after gripping the United States, the deadly epidemic is now creating chaos in the United Kingdom. While the US saw people turning into "Zombies" after taking Xylazine, Fentanyl, a deadly "super-drug", has led to a trail of bodies in the UK. Fentanyl which is a deadly super-drug has reportedly become the drug for those who are looking to get a hit on the streets of Pennsylvania and Washington.
According to a report in the Daily Star, nearly 109,680 deaths due to overdoses were reported till May 2023. Astonishingly, the deaths due to drug overdose occurred in space of 12 months, as per the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The US Centre also said that areas such as Washington saw a whopping 21 percent rise in deaths compared to the previous 12 months.
The report also states that drug abuse has hit various parts of the United Kingdom. The development comes after deaths were reported in areas including Coventry, Bristol, Basildon, Birmingham and Glasgow. The reports also said that the deaths took place due to an overdose of a stronger type of drug and synthetic opioids known as nitazenes which were allegedly found.
Following the deaths from drug abuse and overdose, the Director of Public Health for Birmingham City Council warned about drug abuse. Speaking about the drug, Dr Justin Varney said, "Fentanyl is ten times the strength of heroin, nitazenes are ten times the strength of fentanyl." Varney further said that people are overdosing as the Fentanyl drug is much stronger.
Dr Justin Varney also said that the national opium supply chain had been disrupted due to conflicts in Afghanistan and the global war on drugs. "It means the drug market is turning to synthetic opioids," he added. As per various reports, 95 percent of the heroin in Britain and Europe comes from Afghanistan.
Nearly 25 deaths have been reported in the UK due to fentanyl drugs in the last 12 months. Earlier this year, the UK Government took bold steps when it banned 11 synthetic opioids. "Synthetic opioids are highly dangerous substances, which ruin lives and devastate communities," Policing Minister Chris Philp said on the effects of opioids.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 14, 2023 03:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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