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Britain is in the grip of a “hidden” drugs epidemic which has killed hundreds, with narcotics stronger than heroin sold over the internet. But the true scale of the problem is unknown, with a report today warning the number of deaths could be far higher than official figures show.

Addicts are turning to nitazenes, a class of synthetic drug with similar affects to heroin, after the Taliban cracked down on opium production in Afghanistan and the Chinese government blocked exports of fentanyl, another synthetic drug which wreaked havoc in America. And young people self-medicating for conditions such ADHD and anxiety are unwittingly buying products online which contain the drug.

Official Home Office figures show nitazenes have been linked to more than 750 deaths since mid 2023 but an investigation by think tank Onward highlighted “inconsistencies and gaps in official data”. It concluded: “Nitazene deaths in the UK have climbed at a dramatic pace since 2022 and are probably even higher than official estimates.”

Niles Webb, author of the Onward report, said: “This is not a moral panic about drug use. It is a warning about what happens when global criminal supply chains adapt faster than the British state – and when no one can say, with confidence, how many people are already dead.”

The substance can be up to 500 times stronger than heroin and the problem has been exacerbated by the growing number of people self-medicating for mental health conditions which the NHS is unable to deal with.

The inquiry found: “A sicker population is increasingly turning to dangerous forms of self-medication. With mental illness rising, the NHS failing, and lethal substances readily available and appearing safe, these cases may just be the beginning of a larger-scale crisis.”

Nitazenes are sometimes found in counterfeit pills which are advertised as legitimate medicine for conditions such as anxiety and delivered by post after being brought online. The products have been advertised on social media services such as TikTok, X and LinkedIn.

The report continued: “Nitazene consumption is often inadvertent. Variants have been found in substances from heroin to imitations of legally available medicines. Those at risk of overdosing on the substance include both long-term users of hard drugs and individuals self-medicating for conditions such as chronic pain and common mental health problems.”

The drug has also been found added to heroin, cocaine and synthetic cannabis products such as spice. Its has grown following the Taliban 2022 crackdown on heroin and China’s clampdown on fentanyl.

While the product is often imported, Scottish police uncovered the first UK drug lab producing nitazenes, operating in Ayrshire, in September 2025.

A government spokesperson said: “Every drug-related death is a tragedy for those who have lost their lives, their families and for their wider communities.

“As part of our Plan for Change, we are doing everything we can to tackle the evolving threat from synthetic opioids such as nitazenes, including working closely with the police to increase the number of officers carrying the opioid overdose antidote naloxone.”