As if we needed more bad news on the drug front: A common livestock sedative, street name “Tranq,” has made its way into other dangerous drugs like fentanyl. Also called xylazine, Tranq was first manufactured in 1962 by Bayer Pharmaceuticals and is used by veterinarians on cattle and horses to relieve pain, relax muscles, and sedate them for procedures. It is not FDA-approved for any purpose in human medicine.
Last week, the government formally designated xylazine as an “emerging drug threat.” The DEA indicates that 23 percent of tests for fentanyl in 2022 revealed evidence of Tranq in the sample. In the two-year period from early 2020 through late 2021, positive lab results grew 112 percent in the West and 193 percent in the South.
Tranq’s low cost is the reason it’s being mixed in with batches for more expensive drugs, including heroin. You might be surprised to find out that it’s not illegal (yet). A prescription from a vet is all you need to get your own supply.
Xylazine is not an opioid, but acts like it. Like opioids, it’s highly addictive, slows breathing and heart rate, and increases the risk of fatal overdoses. It causes the user to black out for hours, rendering them vulnerable to rape and robbery. Once they come to, they immediately crave more.
