There is commotion in the United States by the presence of a new drug. The substance is known as “Tranq”, a toxic mixture that combines fentanyl with xylazine, for which, it is presumed, its effects could be more lethal than other substances offered on the market.
The authorities had already been alerted since 2021 with the appearance of fentanyl, after learning about videos in the state of Philadelphia and other US regions where this drug was beginning to be used and quite a few people could be seen affected by this narcotic.
“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our nation has ever faced…it is everywhere. From large metropolitan areas to rural America, no community is safe from this poison,” explained Anne Milgram, director of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
With the appearance of “tranq” fears increase, since xylazine, being a sedative approved only for veterinary purposes in the US, would have lethal effects on health.
The substance is also known among its consumers as “tranq dope”, or “zombie grud”, which was also marketed for the first time in Philadelphia, but its sale has been expanding throughout the national territory. In California, for example, there have already been four deaths from its consumption.
“The xylacin, reported as an adulterant in a growing number of illicit drug mixes, it has also been detected in a growing number of strong overdoses.” reads in the DEA report ‘The Growing Threat of Xylazine and its Mixture with Illicit Drugs’, published in October 2022.
The report also states that after an analysis of the substance it was possible to identify that it is not only the combination of this tranquilizer for animals, but also that it has cocaine, heroin and other drugs, becoming a possibly lethal mixture for those who consume it and that there is no way that, after an overdose, medical personnel have the tools to reverse its consequences.
For the DEA, traffickers have turned to the use of xylaxine, since it is a substance that lacks control on the market for a low cost, so it can be easily purchased on the internet or any veterinary store. In addition to Those who use it prefer it because its effects are long-lasting.
“At this low price, its use as an adulterant can increase the profits of illicit drug traffickers, since its psychoactive effects allow them to reduce the amount of fentanyl or heroin used in a mixture,” the DEA details.