Etonitazepyne (NPE)
Street names: NPE, Etonitazepyne HCl, 'Neo' nitazene
⚡What it does
- Potent nitazene opioid — euphoria, warmth and heavy sedation like other members of the class, at a fraction of the weight
- Effects last 4–8 hours, longer than fentanyl — and so does the overdose risk window
- Tolerance builds immediately; doses escalate within days
⚠Key risks
- The leading 'next-generation' nitazene in 2025–26 seizure and toxicology reports — positioned to replace isotonitazene as the class's flagship
- Dosed in micrograms: the line between a dose and a fatal overdose is invisible without laboratory equipment
- Counterfeit pills containing NPE are sold as 30 mg oxycodone — users have no idea they're taking a drug orders of magnitude stronger
- Naloxone still works, but high-potency overdoses often need repeated doses and rescue breathing while it catches up
- Dependence and withdrawal hit hard and fast — full opioid dependence within weeks of regular use
✚Overdose signs
- Unrousable, blue lips or fingertips
- Breathing fewer than 8 times a minute, or not at all
- Pinpoint pupils with gurgling or snoring sounds — give naloxone, call emergency services, start rescue breathing
Category comparison — Opioids
| Substance | Class | Top risks | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Etonitazepyne (NPE) | Schedule I treatment via analogue enforcement | The leading 'next-generation' nitazene in 2025–26 seizure and toxicology reports — positioned to replace isotonitazene as the class's flagship; Dosed in micrograms: the line between a dose and a fatal overdose is invisible without laboratory equipment | ~$20–60 per gram wholesale — pennies per lethal dose, which is exactly why it's in the supply |
| Heroin | Schedule I | Extremely addictive — physical dependence in weeks; Overdose: breathing slows or stops | ~$10–$40 per bag |
| Fentanyl | Schedule II | Respiratory depression; Addiction in days | ~$20–$40 per counterfeit pill |
| Fentanyl HCl (powder) | Schedule II / analogue prosecutions | Lab-purity powder is far stronger than street mixes; Weighing errors are fatal | ~$60–$120/gram wholesale equivalent |
| Acetylfentanyl | Schedule I | ~5–15× weaker than fentanyl but still deadly at gram-level mistakes; Frequent cause of cluster overdoses | ~$25–$60/g where found |
| Furanylfentanyl (Fu-F) | Schedule I | Linked to hundreds of fatal overdoses 2016–2018; Potency similar to fentanyl | ~$20–$50/g |
?Frequently asked questions
What does Etonitazepyne (NPE) look like?
Off-white to yellowish powder, active in the microgram range; pressed into fake oxycodone/hydrocodone pills and mixed into heroin/fentanyl supplies
What are the signs of a Etonitazepyne (NPE) overdose?
Unrousable, blue lips or fingertips; Breathing fewer than 8 times a minute, or not at all; Pinpoint pupils with gurgling or snoring sounds — give naloxone, call emergency services, start rescue breathing Call emergency services immediately and give naloxone if available — it reverses opioid overdoses.
How addictive is it?
The leading 'next-generation' nitazene in 2025–26 seizure and toxicology reports — positioned to replace isotonitazene as the class's flagship Dependence can develop with regular use.
🔗Sources & further reading
Facts on this page are compiled from these primary sources. External links open in a new tab.