Stanislaus, other California counties warned of xylazine, or ‘tranq’. One city had 26 deaths
READ MORE
Fentanyl Crisis in Stanislaus County
Click the arrow below for more coverage of the fentanyl crisis in Stanislaus County.
Expand All
California health officials are warning the public about an increase of xylazine in the illegal drug supply.
Xylazine is a powerful sedative used in veterinary medicine. But drug lords combine it with illegal fentanyl to make a street drug called tranq. The California Department of Public Health said in a news release Wednesday that tranq is linked to an increasing number of overdose or poisoning deaths across the nation.
San Francisco, which is 90 miles from Modesto, had a preliminary count of 26 overdose deaths due to xylazine from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31 this year, according to the city’s Medical Examiner office.
Indications are that xylazine is relatively uncommon in California’s drug supply, the CDPH said. But more positive results for xylazine are showing up in drug testing.
A top official with Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services said in late September that lab testing and anecdotal evidence from drug treatment programs revealed the presence of tranq in the county’s illegal drug supply.
“We are taking steps to reach our local partners, community-based organizations, health providers and all Californians to warn them of this evolving situation,” Dr. Tomas Aragon, state public health officer, said in the news release.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing legislation to make xylazine a controlled substance under California’s drug laws and increase penalties for illegal trafficking of xylazine.
“Tranq poses a unique and devastating challenge in our fight against the overdose epidemic,” Newsom said in the announcement Tuesday. “Although California is not yet seeing tranq at the same rates as other parts of the country, this legislation will help the state stay ahead and curb dealers and traffickers, while we work to provide treatment and resources for those struggling with addiction and substance abuse.”
State health officials issued previous alerts about xylazine in March and June. The state has sent guidance to healthcare facilities and providers on recognizing xylazine symptoms in patients, managing withdrawal symptoms, follow-up care and treating severe skin sores caused by tranq.
Xylazine is not safe for people. It causes drowsiness, amnesia, skin wounds, slow breathing and heart rate and dangerously low blood pressure. Narcan nasal spray, the gold standard for reversing fentanyl overdoses, is not effective in a xylazine overdose, though people are advised to try administering Narcan anyway because fentanyl is mixed with xylazine.
The CDPH has a webpage with more information about xylazine.
This story was originally published December 1, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
