Last year at this time, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) put out a Public Safety Alert about xylanzine and its widespread use: “Xylazine is making the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, fentanyl, even deadlier,” said DEA Administrator Milgram. “DEA has seized xylazine and fentanyl mixtures in 48 of 50 States. The DEA Laboratory System is reporting that in 2022 approximately 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% of fentanyl pills seized by the DEA contained xylazine.”
We have received many questions about Xylazine so we created a one-sheet, as well as this blog, to share information about why this drug is so concerning.
WHAT IS XYLAZINE?
Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer. Often called ‘tranq” or the “zombie” drug, it is being added to street drugs because it is cheap, easy to obtain, and it enhances the sedative effect of other substances. Xylazine is most notably added to heroin and fentanyl. Many people use xylazine unknowingly because it is added to other drugs. Xylazine Test Strips (XTS) are a drug testing tool used to detect the presence of xylazine in substances.
WHY IS IT SO DANGEROUS?
Overdose deaths where “tranq” was detected have soared in recent years and in April 2023 the White House designated the drug an “emerging threat.”
Fentanyl is already a powerful drug with a high potential for overdose and death. The combination of xylazine with the opioid is even more potent than fentanyl alone. Xylazine lowers heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate, leading to the increased risk of overdose and death.
The use of xylazine has also been associated with large, deep infectious lesions that spread on the skin and deep into the fat and muscle layers. These wounds most often appear on the forearms or lower legs and tend to have a lot of dead (necrotic) tissue and drainage; they can appear with a dried black crust and have a bad odor. Surgery is often needed to remove the dead tissue.
OVERDOSES
While the drug naloxone (Narcan) can reverse the effects of fentanyl and other opioid overdoses, it has no effect on xylazine. A person who overdoses on an opioid mixed with xylazine may remain unconscious even after administering naloxone. It is important to check for breathing and place the person in a recovery position (on their side) and get medical help.
