The Federal Government, through the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has issued a warning over the drug called “tranq.” The drug is a combination of a horse tranquilizer called xylazine and fentanyl. Although xylazine is not an opioid, it supposedly lengthens the euphoric effect of fentanyl, furthering the opioid crisis. Narcan is, of course, effective at reversing fentanyl overdoses but it does not work on xylazine because it is not an opioid.
People on the streets told local news outlets that the drug is deadly and several of their friends have already died. One person said two of his friends died from “tranq” in one week. Nearly one-third of the street heroin supply in Massachusetts has the horse tranquilizer drug in its chemistry. Much of the precursors for fentanyl (and possibly xylazine) come from China. These chemicals get shipped directly to cartels in North America who then flood the American market with finished drugs. The result is a crisis that kills over one hundred thousand Americans each year.
SOURCES:
Fentanyl laced with animal tranquilizer xylazine has Philly care providers on high alert – WHYY
‘Tranq dope’: Dangerous animal tranquillizer spreading in Canada’s street drugs | CBC News
‘Everybody’s dropping like flies’: Federal ‘tranq’ warning follows escalating concerns in Mass.
