A veterinary anaesthetic known for causing lesions and skin rot has been detected in some illegal drugs confiscated by law enforcement in Los Angeles County, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s crime lab. The drug, Xylazine, is a veterinary sedative not approved by the Federal Drug Administration for human use. Its presence in the local drug supply is raising alarm about an increased risk of drug overdoses.
Known as “tranq” or “tranq dope,” Xylazine can cause blood pressure to drop to dangerously low levels, reduce breathing and heart rate, and damage tissue leading to skin lesions and large sores. The drug’s adverse effects on skin have earned it a comparison to flesh-eating disease, with some referring to it as a “zombie drug.”
The Los Angeles Department of Public Health previously warned about the growing prevalence of this drug. It is often mixed with other opioids, including heroin and fentanyl, and has been found as a cheap additive in counterfeit pills such as Percocet and Vicodin to enhance their effects.
As part of a three-month pilot program, the LASD Crime Lab started testing for Xylazine in confiscated illegal narcotics. Of the 4,608 controlled substance samples tested since April, Xylazine was detected in 13, all of which also contained fentanyl.
Despite the seemingly small number of samples testing positive for Xylazine, public health officials warn that this pilot program only accounts for successfully confiscated drugs. The actual concentration of Xylazine in the local drug supply could be higher.
The Public Health Department provides several tips to avoid overdose and accidental exposure. This includes never using alone, using small “tester” doses, staggering drug use with others, avoiding mixing drugs, carrying naloxone (an opioid overdose reversal drug), and using fentanyl test strips to test drugs for fentanyl. However, the ultimate recommendation is to avoid illegal opioids and seek treatment for addiction.