The "zombie drug" xylazine that's compounding America's opioid crisis has been linked to 11 deaths in the UK.
Known on the streets "tranq" or "tranq dope", the lethal drug is typically cut with fentanyl or heroine and xylazine - an animal tranquiliser that is making its way into the illicit drug supply.
But a new study published in the journal Addiction shows it has also been found in counterfeit prescription medication tablets, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) vapes and cocaine.
In addition to enhancing the high from fentanyl or heroin, it literally rots people’s skin.
The lethal drug leaves people in a catatonic state and rots their skin
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Raw wounds erupt into a scaly crust of dead tissue called eschar which, if untreated, can lead to amputation.
The drug is wreaking havoc on the streets of America, with Philadelphia regarded as ground zero: about one-third of all fatal opioid overdoses in 2019 were related to the drug.
This “public health threat has now expanded to the United Kingdom”, warn researchers from King’s College London.
They highlight the death of a 43-year-old man in Solihull in the West Midlands, in May 2022.
Their study examined various toxicology, drug testing and drug seizure sources and found 35 cases of xylazine across England, Scotland and Wales by the end of August last year. No cases were found in Northern Ireland.
They published data on 16 biological samples taken from toxicology labs, where the drug was found in 16 people – including 11 people who had died. Some 11 of these samples were from summer last year.
Senior author Doctor Caroline Copeland, from King’s College London, said: “We now know that xylazine has penetrated the UK’s illicit drug market.
“This is cause for alarm as a much wider population of people who use drugs beyond heroin users will be exposed to its harms.
“We also know that most people who buy heroin will not intend to buy xylazine and this combination increases the risk of overdose. Xylazine was designated an ‘emerging threat’ to the United States and this public health threat is a growing concern for the UK.
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“There are three simple measures the UK can introduce to prevent the epidemic of xylazine use that has emerged in the USA. Cheap xylazine test strips should be made available, healthcare providers need to be aware of the signs that chronic skin ulcers are due to xylazine use, and pathologists and coroners should specifically request toxicology testing for xylazine in relevant cases to understand the true prevalence of the drug.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We are aware of the threat from xylazine and are determined to protect people from the threat posed by this drug and other illicit synthetic drugs.
“We will not hesitate to act to keep the public safe. Following advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), we intend to make xylazine a Class C drug meaning anyone supplying this substance will face up to 14 years in prison, a fine or both.”
