Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to educate the drug using community on the risks of (a) nitazine and (b) fentanyl.

The Department is monitoring the threat that the synthetic opioids nitazenes and fentanyls pose, and is working with partners across Government to respond to this threat. Educating the drug using community of the risks these drugs pose is vital. In 2018, the Department issued Guidance for local areas on planning to deal with potent synthetic opioids, which was updated in 2023, and explains how local commissioners and service providers can prepare for and respond to incidents involving potent synthetic opioids, as well as how local areas can communicate this threat to drug users. The guidance includes specific messaging for people who use drugs, and was developed with people who use drugs. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fentanyl-preparing-for-a-future-threat/guidance-for-local-areas-on-planning-to-deal-with-fentanyl-or-another-potent-opioid

The Government has a drug information and advice service called Talk to FRANK, which aims to reduce drug misuse and its harms by providing awareness to young people and to parents. Information on synthetic opioids and the danger of their misuse is available at the following link:

https://www.talktofrank.com/drug/synthetic-opioids