Metonitazine, the Fentanyl Like Drug, Found in Australia
Authorities in Australia have issued a public health alert after a synthetic opioid linked to a number of overdose deaths in the US was detected in fake prescription drugs. The substance, metonitazene, is an opioid similar to fentanyl. It was found in yellow, circular tablets that were being sold as oxycodone, a common opioid that is often abused.
First Time Metonitazine Found in Australia
This is the first time that metonitazine has been found in counterfeit tablets in Australia. The ACT government has advised anyone who has purchased yellow "oxy" tablets to dispose of them safely, but has not included oxycodone that has been obtained via a prescription from a pharmacy or health service in this warning. The government has urged drug users to bring any illicit substances to the CanTEST pill-testing service in the city for analysis and to keep naloxone on hand. The ACT is the only jurisdiction in Australia with a legal pill-testing service, which allows people to anonymously check the contents of their drugs before consumption.