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The medication, commonly known as “tranq,” is not approved for human use and is intended as a sedative and muscle relaxant for large animals such as horses. However, the US Drug Enforcement Administration has issued a warning after revealing that it found xylazine in nearly 25% of the fentanyl powder it seized in 2022.
The use of xylazine can cause severe and necrotic skin ulcerations, which may result in the need for amputation. Additionally, the drug can impair respiration and lead to overdoses, making it particularly dangerous for humans.
The Drug Should be Banned Immediately
The Fighting Illicit Xylazine Act proposes to classify xylazine as a Schedule III narcotic, recognizing its potential for abuse and danger. This designation would grant the DEA the authority to monitor the production of the substance. Ketamine and anabolic steroids are other examples of substances classified under Schedule III.
In a press release introducing the bill that she co-sponsored, Representative Catherine Cortez Masto stated that we must provide authorities with the tools they need to prevent the spread of harmful substances like xylazine in our communities. Drug smugglers will go to great lengths to increase their profits, and it is essential that we take steps to curb their efforts.
Cortez Masto emphasized that the bipartisan measure aims to ensure that the DEA and local law enforcement have the necessary resources to remove xylazine from our streets while preserving its vital role as a veterinary tranquilizer.
The use of xylazine can cause a variety of symptoms, such as blurred vision, disorientation, drowsiness, staggering, coma, bradycardia, respiratory depression, low blood pressure, constricted pupils, and high blood sugar. Unfortunately, Naloxone, the overdose antidote, cannot reverse a xylazine overdose.
Different Opinion
Xylazine has been found in fentanyl in at least 48 states, making it a growing concern. Senator Chuck Grassley, a co-sponsor of the bill, emphasized the need to keep up with the evolving tactics of drug traffickers who are flooding the nation with deadly and ever-changing poisons. However, experts have suggested that Naloxone can still be useful in treating those who have taken opioids mixed with xylazine.