Spike in deaths linked to Tranq alarms the White House
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Fentanyl laced with xylazine has been recognized as an "emerging threat" by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
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Registered nurse Kathy Lalli treats a man's xylazine-associated leg injuries at the Kensington Hospital wound care outreach van in Philadelphia on May 23. (AP)
The Biden Administration has announced efforts to cut the number of overdoses associated with the "zombie drug" Tranq by 15% over the next two years in the United States.
The preparations include gathering data on the drug's prevention, shutting off supply routes, and ensuring that veterinary clinics' supplies of animal tranquilizers are not disrupted.
The drug, Xylazine, is combined with fentanyl to form a lethal cocktail.
American political consultant and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden commented, “Our goal is to get fentanyl combined with xylazine off our streets and out of our communities," adding that “The proportion of xylazine-involved deaths is continuously growing and is a great concern.”
According to the CDC, the drug was involved in 4,859 overdose deaths nationwide between January 2021 and June 2022, with tranq accounting for over 11% of fentanyl overdose deaths in June 2022, an alarming increase from 3% in 2019.
Read next: Zombie drug 'tranq' sending US down another dark path
Fentanyl laced with xylazine has been recognized as an "emerging threat" by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
The White House has released a six-point plan to tackle the use of Tranq on US streets. Tanden said the plan aims to: "Aggressively expand access to prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery support for those with substance use disorders. And [take] bold actions to disrupt the supply of illicit drugs, especially fentanyl that is harming communities all across the country."
The emergence of the "#tranq" drug raised the number of fatal overdoses in the United States to nearly 110,000 in 2022, a record-high for the country hit by an #opioid epidemic.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 27, 2023
For its part, social media users were prompted by this issue, criticizing the government for… pic.twitter.com/QXO2pkKULr
"This administration recognizes the grave threat that fentanyl combined with xylazine poses to our nation," said Dr. Raul Gupta, White House director of national drug control policy.
He said that Congress is asked to fully fund Biden's historic $46.1bn (£35.7bn) budget request for national drug control programs, including key funding to address illicit fentanyl and emerging threats like xylazine. Moreover, the idea would most likely be funded by the $46.1 billion National Drug Control Program, which Biden proposed in March but has yet to be approved by Congress.
What is Tranq?
Tranq is a combination of the synthetic opioid fentanyl and the sedative xylazine.
The xylazine causes skin sores, lesions, and ulcers, which can easily become infected and cause the skin to die and decay in that location. Necrosis is a condition that necessitates amputation or surgery to remove the rotting tissue.
The medicine can also cause staggers, hyperventilation, dizziness, constricted pupils, as well as dangerously low heart rates. Because of the observed symptoms in users, it has been dubbed the "zombie drug".
The alarming rise in deaths linked to Tranq has alarmed the #WhiteHouse, as the drug, known as #Xylazine, which is mixed with fentanyl to create a deadly cocktail dubbed the "#Zombiedrug", is reportedly being widely used in #Philadelphia.#UnitedStates pic.twitter.com/H6LKMkv4pN
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 18, 2023
