Tracking the supply of nitazenes on online drug markets with Amy Peacock and Monica BarrattTracking the supply of nitazenes on online drug markets with Amy Peacock and Monica Barratt
Addiction Audio
Researchers Amy Peacock and Monica Barratt talk with Elle Wadsworth about nitazenes, synthetic opioids tracked across crypto markets and surface web shops. The conversation outlines supply trends, risks from unintentional use, and how online monitoring can support harm reduction and early warning systems.
19:17•8 May 2026
Tracking Nitazenes Online: Crypto Markets, Risk, and Early Warning Systems
Episode Overview
- Nitazenes are highly potent synthetic opioids, in some cases reported as more potent than fentanyl, creating a high risk of overdose, especially when consumed unintentionally.
- Researchers monitored 34 crypto markets and 10 surface web shops between 2021 and 2024, finding nitazenes made up a small share of listings but were still widely available.
- There was a marked shift in nitazene origin from Asia to North America, likely linked to regulatory changes and growing demand.
- Nitazenes increasingly appeared in pill form, raising concerns about counterfeit medicines and people without opioid experience being exposed.
- The guests highlight the importance of take-home naloxone, nitazene test strips, drug checking services, and public alerts, and show how online data can act as an early warning system for emerging drug threats.
“"The point of concern with nitazines, though, is that some of the analogues are reported to be quite a bit more potent, and in some cases actually exceeding fentanyl in potency."”
What insights can experts and survivors share about addiction? This episode turns its attention to an emerging drug threat that many people have barely heard of: nitazenes. Host Dr Elle Wadsworth chats with Dr Amy Peacock and Dr Monica Barratt, two Australian researchers who have spent years tracking online drug markets. Their study followed 34 crypto markets and 10 surface web shops between 2021 and 2024 to track how nitazenes are being sold and shipped around the globe.
Amy explains that nitazenes are a class of synthetic opioids first developed in the 1950s but never approved because of overdose and dependence risks. As she puts it, the worry now is that some nitazenes are "actually exceeding fentanyl in potency", creating a serious overdose risk, especially when people consume them unintentionally in counterfeit pills or adulterated drugs.
Monica breaks down what crypto markets are, why anonymity and cryptocurrency matter, and how these sites have a high turnover, with markets constantly opening and closing. She and Amy describe how their monitoring picked up nitazenes appearing on these markets, then noticed a sharp shift in supply from Asia to North America. You’ll hear how nitazene listings still make up a tiny fraction of overall online drug sales, yet their potency and appearance in pills make them particularly worrying.
The conversation also touches on nitazenes being available through surface web shops in Australia, something the researchers did not expect to see. For people working in addiction, policy, or harm reduction, there’s clear relevance here: the guests stress the need for take-home naloxone, nitazene test strips, drug checking services, and timely public alerts. They also show how online monitoring can act as an early warning system, spotting new substances months before they show up in traditional data.
If you’re interested in how digital traces can help protect people who use drugs, what questions does this raise for your own practice or research?
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