Bipartisan bill moves forward in the fight against Tranq
A group of legislators are working to pass a "Combating Illicit Xylazine Act" They point out that the sale and consumption of the animal sedative in humans represents "an urgent threat to public health and safety."
(Pixabay)
Several congressmen in the House and Senate introduced a bipartisan bill on Tuesday that seeks to "prohibit certain uses of xylazine," a veterinary drug that when mixed with fentanyl and other chemicals, generates a potentially deadly drug called Tranq (also known as a zombie drug).
Combating Illicit Xylazine ... by Verónica Silveri
Senators pushing the bill include Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and others. In the House, the legislation is supported by: Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), August Pfluger (R-Texas), among others.
Xylazine, a drug for animals
Xylazine is readily available to the public, as it is approved for use in large animals as a sedative and analgesic drug. However, it is also being used by drug traffickers to sell and mix with other illicit substances. Cortez Masto said:
Human consumption of the animal sedative is considered potentially fatal. Among its side effects - when mixed with other drugs - are ulcers (raw wounds) that occur in various parts of the body and can lead to the loss of limbs.
A Schedule III controlled substance
The legislation introduced by the congressmen would include xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance (on a five-level scale). This means that it has "moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence." The law would also allow the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to track the manufacture of the component and thereby prevent it from being diverted to the illicit market.
The DEA already issued an alert earlier this month and noted that it found the animal sedative in about 23% of the fentanyl powder seized and 7% of the pills containing the opioid last year. Cortez Masto stated:
FDA Restricted Xylazine Imports
Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that it would restrict imports of xylazine. This move was taken as a warning that shipments of the animal tranquilizer will face increased FDA scrutiny.
One of the greatest dangers of drugs mixed with xylazine is that since it is not an opioid, it is resistant to naloxone, the drug used to reverse overdose of these substances.
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