Feds warn against deadly animal tranquilizer in Michigan street drugs

(Detroit Free Press) The Detroit office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is issuing warnings about xylazine — the powerful and fast-acting non-opioid animal tranquilizer that is infiltrating the illicit drug supply in Michigan and across the nation at an alarming rate, making street drugs deadlier than ever.

Most often mixed with fentanyl, the synthetic opioid responsible for more overdose deaths than any other drug, xylazine ups tremendously the chance for overdose. Fentanyl and xylazine are both central nervous system depressants.

Xylazine turned up in 51 drug samples analyzed by the DEA Detroit between August 2022 and last month, Orville Greene, special agent in charge, said. The samples came from seizures made in Michigan and Ohio. In 2022, 23% of the fentanyl powder and 7% of the fentanyl pills it seized across the nation contained xylazine, the DEA said. ..............(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/04/19/xylazine-animal-tranquilizer-showing-up-in-street-drugs/70108103007/