A veterinary tranquilizer called xylazine is being mixed with the already dangerous and highly addictive drug fentanyl, causing new addiction issues in the ongoing opioid crisis in America and beyond. You may have questions like what is tranq and is my child addicted to tranq, and this can be a frightening time full of worry and unknowns. The addiction treatment programs at Evoke Wellness at Coconut Creek can be part of the solution in helping you or a loved one break free from the tight grip that tranq has on you. Don’t hesitate to call 866.693.3871 to learn more about our programs and services.
What Is Tranq or Tranq Dope?
Are you wondering what is tranq dope? You probably have never heard of xylazine before unless you or a member of your family works with animals as a veterinarian. First synthesized by the Bayer Company, the drug is used to calm animals during surgery. Sadly, in the wrong hands, xylazine is now being used to cause great pain and damage to humans. This sedative drug is currently experiencing rapid growth on the street as it is being added to fentanyl. This is creating a more toxic and potent drug that is worsening the addiction issues in so many people from coast to coast who are struggling with opioid use in America today.
According to a recent New York Times article from earlier in 2023, more than 90 percent of Philadelphia’s lab-tested dope samples were positive for xylazine1. This is especially problematic for people already struggling with a fentanyl addiction because xylazine causes wounds that erupt on the skin with scaly dead tissue. If left untreated, amputation is likely. But that is just the beginning of this tragedy. The other issue with a sedative being in an opioid is that it can cause users to blackout and become more vulnerable on the street. When the fentanyl high has faded, a user will immediately crave more, which is not uncommon with illicit drugs. Still, the sedative nature of xylazine resists standard opioid overdose reversal treatments, making fatality more of a possibility than straight fentanyl.
Tranq dope has been linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths in the United States over the past few years. While the highest xylazine prevalence in autopsies has been observed in Philadelphia (involved in 25.8% of deaths), between 2020 and 2021, overdose deaths involving xylazine increased by more than 1,000% in the South of the country, 750% in the Western states and about 500% in the Midwest region of America, according to an intelligence report released last year by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration2. These figures are alarming, and a national response is being coordinated now.
What Are the Effects of Xylazine?
It’s possible that we don’t even yet know all of the dangers and impacts tranq dope is or can cause a person. What is known today is that this central nervous system depressant commonly used to sedate animals has multiple effects on the human body, including:
- Drowsiness
- Amnesia
- Slow breathing
- Slow heart rate
- Dangerously low blood pressure
- When abused in high doses and when mixed with fentanyl to make tranq, xylazine can cause:
- Loss of physical sensation
- Loss of consciousness
- Intensification of other drugs
- Complications in overdose treatment
- Death
Learn More at Evoke Wellness at Coconut Creek
Witnessing a loved one battle drug addiction is scary enough, but the fear of tranq and other new substances on the street can break a person. We understand this struggle and are here to help you and your family heal and recover. Contact us today by using our secure online form or call us at 866.693.3871 and learn how the addiction treatment Evoke Wellness at Coconut Creek can help.
Footnotes
1The New York Times – “Tranq Dope: Animal Sedative Mixed With Fentanyl Brings Fresh Horror to U.S. Drug Zones”
2DEA Joint Intelligence Report – “The Growing Threat of Xylazine and its Mixture with Illicit Drugs”
