According to the Regional Health Agency, the substance could be smoked, vaporized, injected, ingested, inhaled, snorted, without the consumer’s knowledge or not.
A mysterious substance “at risk of death” worried in Reunion and would be at the origin ofvery serious and/or fatal overdosesreports the Regional Health Agency of Reunion, alerted by the addictovigilance and toxicovigilance devices in a press release of September 8, 2023. On the island, since the end of June 2023, 13 poisonings to this substance have been identified in people aged 21 to 46 years, including 3 people died at their home and 6 people hospitalized in intensive care. According to the first investigations carried out, it would besynthetic opiates 500 times more powerful than heroin, substances produced in a laboratory that can be smoked, vaporized, injected, ingested, inhaled, snorted, whether or not the consumer knows. These substances would be from the family of nitazenesexplain David Mété, head of the addiction department at Saint-Denis University Hospital, on his Twitter accountvery powerful synthetic opioids that are usually found unexpectedly in cigarettes (mixtures with tobacco), joints, synthetic cannabinoids or other more traditional opioids such as Fentanyl, oxycodone, certain antidepressants. These products could have been ordered (outside Reunion Island, editor’s note) by mistake“without the sponsor being aware of their dangerousness“, continues David Mété.
The two warning symptoms to spot
Synthetic opioids are very powerful and pose a major overdose risk, a few seconds or minutes after taking the product. Among the symptoms experienced, some of the poisoned patients indicate that the poisoning has started after two puffs of smoked tobacco:
- A brutal asphyxia, these substances having a direct effect on the cerebral respiratory centers. Asphyxia is characterized by facial redness and congestionexcessive movements trying to fight against the obstacle, sweating, convulsions
- Then one inability to breathe.
“NEVER accept another product whose origin you do not know”
The prefect of Reunion and the general director of the ARS recommend the greatest vigilance for consumers of tobacco and synthetic products.
► If you are a smoker: do not accept NEVER a cigarette or other product whose origin you do not know.
► If you notice that someone has unusual symptoms during or after consuming products, particularly tobacco: call IMMEDIATELY on the 15th and explain the context of occurrence.
► If you need any help, call 0 800 23 13 13 (anonymous and free call, 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., French hours)
► Hospital, liberal, emergency, SOS Médecins, CeGIDD and CSAPA health professionals have been informed of the circulation of this new substance.