LOS ANGELES, Ca. — The Los Angeles Department of Public Health is warning residents of the increased risk of overdose and death associated with “xylazine,” a sedative and muscle relaxant drug used by veterinarians to anesthetize animals. Xylazine has the nickname “zombie drug.”
Health officials say xylazine is increasingly present in illicit drugs in California. Recently, San Francisco reported four overdose deaths involving both xylazine and fentanyl in 2023.
Health officials Xylazine “comes in a clear liquid that is cooked down into a powder form and is mixed with illicit opioids such as heroin or fentanyl, or pressed into counterfeit pills (e.g., Norco, Percocet, Vicodin, etc.) or sedatives (Xanax) as a cheap additive to increase the effects of these drugs.”
Health officials say when mixed with opioids and other central nervous system depressants, xylazine intensifies the effects. This includes drowsiness leading to unresponsiveness and slowed or stopped breathing, which can lead to a fatal overdose.
Many purchasing illicit drugs don’t know that xylazine may be present in the drugs they are trying to obtain.
The Los Angeles Department of Public Health says there is no test to determine if illicit drugs contain xylazine.
Health officials say these are the signs of a xylazine overdose:
- Excessive sedation and appearing unresponsive
- Slowed breathing
- Slowed heart rate
- Low blood pressure
- Cold, clammy skin
While you can’t easily detect Xylazine, you can still use Fentanyl Test Strips to identify drugs contaminated with fentanyl. They require dissolving a small amount of the drug supply in water, dipping the test strip into the liquid, and waiting 15 seconds for a result.
Fentanyl testing strips can be purchased online at:
- Team Awareness Combating Overdose (TACO) Inc: http://www.tacoinc.org/teststrips
- Dose Test: http://dosetest.com/product/fentanyl-test-strip
- Dance Safe: http://dancesafe.org/shop
Services and Bed Availability Tool (SBAT) helps you find substance use treatment services and bed availability in Los Angeles using an online: www.RecoverLA.org. Services include outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment, residential treatment, withdrawal management, and Opioid Treatment Programs.
Substance Abuse Service Helpline: 844-804-7500
Stock feature photo, courtesy of: Kevin Bidwell
