A second person has died from ingesting a heroin-like synthetic opioid in Queensland, prompting the Health Department to issue a public warning weeks after the LNP banned pill-testing services across the state .

The public health alert released on Thursday confirmed the detection of N-pyrrolidino protonitazene and protonitazene in toxicology and tablet samples in south-east Queensland.

The drugs, which are bear-shaped pressed pills and are commonly associated with recreational drugs such as MDMA, are described as “very strong synthetic opioids that work like heroin or fentanyl and can produce life-threatening toxicity in small amounts”.

A Queensland Health spokesperson said the detection of the extremely potent substances “relates to a coronial and police matter currently under invest

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