WORCESTER – The animal tranquilizer xylazine is being mixed in with other drugs in Worcester County, including cocaine, heroin and fentanyl, according to District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr.
The detection of xylazine in drugs is causing concern that overdoses and deaths could increase.
Xylazine is a sedative not approved for human use. It’s not an opioid but can compound the effects of opioids by causing drowsiness, amnesia, slow breathing and heart rate, and dangerously low blood pressure, according to the DA’s office.
Authorities say xylazine has been mixed with other drugs as well. Naloxone/Narcan cannot reverse the effect of xylazine, but they advise people to still administer naloxone/Narcan during opioid overdoses because xylazine is often mixed with opioids. They should also summon medical attention for the overdose victim.
According to the district attorney’s office, the National Institute on Drug Abuse links xylazine to overdose deaths in the United States and the Northeast region has seen the largest impact.
