Minnesota Sees Rising Cases of Xylazine Overdoses, DEA Issues Warning
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a warning about a drug commonly used by veterinarians, Xylazine, that is making fentanyl even deadlier.
Xylazine is a sedative used on animals, not humans, and has been documented in Minnesota for years by health and law enforcement agencies.
Last year, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) detected 65 cases of it, and there is a good belief that there is more prevalence than the numbers are showing due to recent testing.
The DEA has found Xylazine, known as Trank, in 48 states, and it is often mixed with fentanyl and used as a sedative.
This has led to the drug being dubbed the nickname “the zombie.” The drug is easy to spot with a certain skin condition, which is a side effect of it, and it can cause horrible skin ulcers or even death.
The Minnesota Department of Health warns that the presence of Xylazine and illicit drugs in Minnesota will heighten the chances of a non-reversible overdose.
In 2022, the state recorded 32 Xylazine-related overdose deaths, a 700% increase from 2019 when there were four overdoses involving the drug.
To combat the rising cases of Xylazine overdoses, some US senators have proposed $537 million to a new program to help stop Xylazine trafficking.
Health experts are calling for public health-minded approaches and wider testing for the drug to fully understand the extent of the problem in Minnesota.
There are many addiction resources available in Minnesota, and the KARE 11 News article will provide links to them.
The DEA warning about Xylazine highlights the dangerous consequences of drug abuse and the importance of seeking help for addiction.
