Police head: London in danger of San Fransisco level drug catastrophe

(MENAFN) A prominent police chief has sounded the alarm, cautioning that major cities in the United Kingdom could be on the verge of a synthetic opioid crisis reminiscent of the epidemic currently gripping San Francisco. Donna Jones, Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), emphasized the potential threat posed by global shifts in the illegal narcotics market, linking it to a 90 percent decline in heroin exports from Afghanistan following the Taliban's ban on poppy farming last year.

In an interview with the Telegraph on Wednesday, Jones deemed it "inevitable" that British cities would witness a surge in deaths due to synthetic opioids. She pointed to the already dire situation in the United States, where the prevalence of drug overdoses, particularly from potent substances like fentanyl, has reached alarming levels. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is known to be 50 times stronger than street heroin, contributing to a significant number of deaths among heroin users in America.

Jones highlighted the anticipated impact of the decline in heroin supply from Afghanistan, stating that it would lead to a substantial increase in the synthetic opioid market. With heroin addicts in the United States facing deadly consequences, she emphasized the potential for a similar crisis to unfold in the United Kingdom.

The gravity of the situation is underscored by recent data from the Office for National Statistics, revealing that drug-related deaths in England and Wales have reached their highest recorded numbers. Opiates accounted for nearly half of the 4,907 drug-related deaths in the last year. Notably, super-strength synthetic opioids, such as nitazene, have been linked to 54 deaths in the last six months, as reported by the National Crime Agency. Nitazene, found to be up to 300 times more powerful than heroin and six times as potent as fentanyl, was first detected in the UK in April 2021 and has since been found in various illegal drugs, including counterfeit anti-anxiety medication.

As concerns mount over the potential escalation of the synthetic opioid crisis in the UK, the warnings from the police chief highlight the urgency for proactive measures and comprehensive strategies to address the evolving landscape of drug-related challenges. The looming threat emphasizes the need for a multidimensional approach, combining law enforcement, public health initiatives, and international cooperation to mitigate the potential human toll of this emerging crisis.

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