Xylazine tranquilizer for sales

A new threat has emerged in the United States’ illicit drug supply: an animal tranquilizer called xylazine.

The drug is showing up in synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, leading to more overdoses and alarming side effects, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control.

While it has been given in the past for household pets, the sedative is now typically used for larger animals like horse, sheep and elk.

It’s most commonly used in cattle as it’s one of the few sedatives studied in food animals, said Dr. Bernd Driessen, professor of anesthesiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.The drug is available in liquid form and sold in vials or preloaded syringes in veterinary medicine  but it can also be sold online in powder form.

Where is xylazine showing up?

In an October report, the DEA said exposure to xylazine is most common amongst people who use heroin, fentanyl or cocaine.

The administration said xylazine is commonly found in drugs that have two or more substances present. While some users actively seek substances with xylazine, others are surprised by the adulterated supply.

‘Zombie’ drug? Other names for xylazine

Brand names for xylazine include:

• Rompun
• Sedazin
• AnaSed

In the illicit drug market, providers have heard xylazine or drugs laced with xylazine referred to as:

• Tranq
• Tranq Dope
• Sleep Cut
• Zombie Heroin

The drug was also called “anestesia de caballo,” or horse anesthetic in Spanish, in Puerto Rico where it was first noted as an adulterant in the illicit drug supply in the early 2000s, according to the DEA report.

What is xylazine used for?

Xylazine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for veterinary use in 1972, Gupta said. It has been showing up in supplies of illicit drugs used by humans in major quantities in only the past several years.