An horrific new drug that causes huge flesh wounds and turns people into ‘zombies’ is sweeping like a pandemic across the United States, causing a huge amount of concern.
It’s known as ‘Tranq’ or ‘Tranq dope’ but the chemical itself is called Xylazine.
So far, the drug has ‘saturated’ the market in Philadelphia, but has also spread west to other cities in the USA, with authorities hoping that they can sound the warning cry before it is too late.
Outreach workers in Philly have said that it is ‘too late’ for their city, but hope that others can cut off the dreadful substance before it becomes endemic.
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Xylazine is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for animals, but not for humans.
Those who take the drug can develop horrible flesh wounds, as well as developing excessive sleepiness and respiratory depression, which has led some to call it the ‘zombie drug’.
Perhaps more worrying than anything, the drug is resistant to Narcan – or Naloxone – which is the most common anti-overdose drug.
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The drug can also cause raw wounds to form over the body of users, which can spread throughout the body and – if left untreated – form dead skin, even leading to amputation of limbs in some cases.
As well as becoming a massive problem in Philadelphia, the drug has also been discovered in San Francisco and Los Angeles, with a recent study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology stating that it had been found in 36 states.
Speaking to the New York Times, one user said that the drug made her ‘wake up in the morning crying’ because her ‘arms were dying’.
She added that she was ‘sleeping on sidewalks’ and ‘crying every night’ because of her addiction to the drug.
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During her summer on the streets, she reported that she’d seen users wounds become infested with fleas and maggots.
Despite this, she said that she ‘could not pull [herself] away from the drug’.
A worker for Prevention Point Philadelphia is quoted as having said: “It’s too late for Philly.
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“Philly’s supply is saturated. If other places around the country have a choice to avoid it, they need to hear our story.”
Another user recounted how the drug is ‘basically zombifying bodies’.
He told Sky News: "Until nine months ago, I never had wounds. Now, there are holes in my legs and feet.”
The drug – according to health officials – is being cut with fentanyl, which is already 50 times stronger than heroin – because it is cheap and the high from the fentanyl is enhanced.
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Some who have become hooked on the substance have stated that they believe it killed ‘any kind of joy’ that they got from getting high.
In the midst of the current US drug epidemic, officials are concerned that the drug’s emergence ‘would increase deaths from overdoses’.
Dr. Gary Tsai, the director of substance abuse prevention and control with the LA County Department of Public Health, told the LA Times: “The main concern is we’re already amid the worst overdose crisis in history, nationally and locally.”
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He also suggested that the drug could be hidden in other substances without the knowledge of users, citing a statement from the San Francisco Department of Health that confirmed that Xylazine was found in the systems of four people who overdosed.
“It’s possible that it’s more out there,” Tsai said.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can talk to FRANK. You can call 0300 123 6600, text 82111 or contact through their website 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, or livechat from 2pm-6pm any day of the week
Tom Wood