Xylazine Causing More Drug-Related Overdose Deaths
Xylazine Causing More Drug-Related Overdose Deaths
Increased access to naloxone has led to a decrease in opioid overdose-related deaths in 2022 but experts fear this trend may not continue after seeing the drug xylazine being found as a contributing factor in more drug overdose deaths throughout the country. Xylazine also known as “Tranq,” is a non-opioid sedative commonly used as a horse tranquilizer that when mixed with fentanyl and other illegal drugs is causing more people to die from drug overdoses. Unlike fentanyl, naloxones such as NARCAN don’t reverse the effects of xylazine because it is not an opioid and as it’s become more widespread in the illegal drug supply, it has been detrimental to communities throughout the country.
As government officials, addiction specialists and medical professionals look for ways to prevent fatal overdoses from xylazine occurring, the public needs to be informed about what makes xylazine so deadly, signs that someone may have ingested it and what to do to protect their loved ones and communities from succumbing to its catastrophic effects.
Updated: 2023
Written by: Allendale Treatment
If you or anyone you know are struggling with addiction, call (833) 338-6946 to speak with a professional.
What Makes Xylazine So Dangerous?
While xylazine has been safely used for decades as an animal tranquilizer by veterinarians, it has not been approved by the FDA for human consumption. The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Joint Intelligence Report which was published in October 2022, states that in recent years xylazine has increasingly been combined with fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and a variety of other drugs and is commonly found in a combination of two or more substances.
The DEA Laboratory System also reports that in 2022 approximately 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% of fentanyl pills seized by the DEA contained xylazine. Xylazine began to sporadically enter the illegal drug scene in 2006 and while it had previously been primarily found in the Northeast, it has now been identified in 48 of the 50 states.
While mixing an animal tranquilizer with other illegal drugs may sound unappealing to non-drug users, when combined with other drugs xylazine increases the high the user receives making drugs such as heroin and fentanyl more potent – that’s why xylazine is being increasingly used as an adulterant and “cut” or added to those drugs. On the other side, the stronger high makes those and other illegal drugs more addictive and profitable for drug dealers. Xylazine is also known to give users a zombie-like appearance because it can cause severe skin necrosis which may result in the need for amputations at higher rates than other drugs that don’t contain xylazine.
Nate Moellering a community outreach coordinator at Allendale Treatment and Fort Wayne Recovery says that xylazine’s potency when combined with other drugs and its resistance to naloxone means the first time could be the last time for its users. “People are sometimes dying after their first use or they are dying very early on in their addiction,” says Moellering.
“People are sometimes dying after their first use or they are dying very early on in their addiction”
“People are sometimes dying after their first use or they are dying very early on in their addiction”
Nate Moellering
Community Outreach
Why are More People
Overdosing on Xylazine?
Not only does xylazine make overdoses more lethal because it doesn’t respond to NARCAN, but it can also be difficult for first responders to identify someone who’s ingested xylazine because it often presents similar overdose symptoms as opioids and may not be included as part of drug screening panels in some places yet. It can also make naloxone less effective when administrated during an overdose.
Moellering says that even though xylazine isn’t an opioid, it causes a similar reaction in the body which makes it more lethal. “Xylazine is a central-nervous-system depressant so when you mix it with drugs like fentanyl which is also a central nervous system depressant, we have the potential to see higher fatal overdose rates than we have previously.”
A report from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that fatal opioid overdoses in which xylazine was detected rose by 276% from January 2019 through June 2022. Experts fear that the number of people who have died from xylazine has been underreported as it was not previously included in the CDC’s data of national statistics on fatal overdoses and many areas of the country do not include xylazine detection as part of their postmortem.
What Measures Can People Take to Protect Their Loved Ones?
While the government recently announced plans to implement strategies to target the reduction of xylazine overdose deaths by 15% within the next two years, there are things people can do now to be proactive to help prevent a xylazine-related death from occurring:
The best way to keep loved ones safe and prevent an overdose from xylazine occurring is to seek treatment. Inpatient detox and recovery centers are equipped to manage the severe withdrawal symptoms people detoxing from xylazine will experience and provide them with the counseling and support they need to get sober.
Moellering, who has been in recovery for 6 years says that no matter how much someone with a SUD is struggling – they should always have hope. “At the community level, we need to offer intervention services like what I do at Allendale Treatment and Fort Wayne Recovery. We also need to focus on prevention which includes providing mental health treatment and giving those struggling with addiction the help they need. There was a point in my addiction when I never thought I’d get better but there were people around me that provided me with the support and hope I needed.”
If you or anyone you know are struggling with addiction, call (833) 338-6946 to speak with a professional.
