What Is Xylazine and What Can I Do To Keep My Patients Safe?
In March 2023, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) released a public safety alert warning of the mass distribution of fentanyl mixed with a new substance on the market: Xylazine. Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is used as a veterinary sedative in animals such as horses and cattle and is not approved for use in humans. While it’s been in the United States for several years, it has recently entered the California drug supply, resulting in over 7,000 deaths in the state since 2021.