NEW ORLEANS — There's a new health warning. A drug that is used frequently in horses and cattle, is being mixed with already dangerous street drugs. And with this one, the overdose reversal drug doesn't work.
There's yet another drug on the streets concerning doctors and officials. Xylazine, also known as "tranq," is used regularly by veterinarians as a sedative and pain reliever in large animals.
And now, it's being mixed with street drugs like cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. And even more concerning, if you stop breathing, NARCAN ® nasal spray won't reverse the overdose.
“So, there are some dangerous properties to xylazine. It's typically a cutting agent which is put into other substances, which is sort of designed to extend the life of the product, and maybe increase profits,” explained Cory Rodivich, Chief of Investigations at the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s office.
In the last three years in Jefferson Parish, 44 people who died using street drugs, had tranq in their systems.
“And that's why we're seeing it in fentanyl. It's increasing the euphoric effect,” said Dr. Dana Troxclair, Chief Forensic Pathologist at the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s office. She says when mixed with cocaine, it’s especially dangerous.
“You decrease your respiration. It decreases your heart rate, and eventually, they go unconscious. People taking the drug tend to black out and then go unconscious and eventually die.”
In Orleans Parish, the head of EMS warned city leaders of its increased use.
“I've had conversations with the health department here in the city of New Orleans, and it's already raising the alert flag. We need to be on the lookout for this, notifying UMC about the potential for needing to test for xylazine in overdose cases,” said City Council Vice-President Helena Moreno.
She has joined forces with Opelousas State Representative Dustin Miller, who plans to propose legislation to add xylazine to the state-controlled substance list. It's not federally controlled. This would flag it for coroners, and law enforcement to test, and go after those cutting drugs with it.
We talked to one equine veterinarian who said she's very concerned when something's abused on the street and then becomes scheduled. She said that makes it harder to get and more expensive to get then that cost has to be passed on to the customer.
In the meantime, councilwoman Moreno is especially concerned during Carnival Season.
“So, it's just really scary, and it's time to do something about alerting the public that this is out there,” Moreno said.
The DEA says right now, the drug is being seen mostly in the Northeast, but it is making its way down south.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.