Key takeaways:
- The DEA Laboratory System reported that in 2022, approximately 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% of fentanyl pills seized by the DEA contained xylazine.
- According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 100,000 Americans died from drug poisonings between August 2021 and August 2022, with 66% of the deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
- The DEA is urging the public to be aware of the dangers of fentanyl and xylazine, and to seek help if they or someone they know is struggling with addiction.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued an alert Monday warning of the widespread threat of fentanyl mixed with xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer also known as “tranq” or “tranq dope.”
The DEA Laboratory System reported that in 2022, approximately 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% of fentanyl pills seized by the DEA contained xylazine. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said in the alert that “xylazine is making the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, fentanyl, even deadlier.”
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 100,000 Americans died from drug poisonings between August 2021 and August 2022, with 66% of the deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl. DEA has seized xylazine and fentanyl mixtures in 48 of 50 states.
The DEA alert is the first such warning about an emerging drug threat since 2021. Milgram said that “the combination of fentanyl and xylazine is particularly dangerous because it is more potent and can cause more severe health effects.”
The DEA is urging the public to be aware of the dangers of fentanyl and xylazine, and to seek help if they or someone they know is struggling with addiction. The DEA also encourages people to report any suspicious activity to their local law enforcement.
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