Los Angeles officials are urgently warning the public about the alarming proliferation of a dangerous street drug known as tranq or xylazine or Zombie Drug, which is causing gruesome effects on addicts, including severe tissue damage and flesh decay.
Xylazine, commonly used as an animal tranquilizer, is becoming increasingly prevalent as it is mixed with other illegal drugs such as heroin and fentanyl.
Authorities in LA are scrambling to track and combat the escalating use of this “zombie drug.” Disturbing reports reveal that xylazine is capable of causing the rotting away of skin and muscle, leading to grotesque disfigurement among its users.
Bill Bodner, a special agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), expressed his concern, stating, “It’s really gruesomely disfiguring people.” He further explained, “It’s much more likely to stop someone from breathing, and the things that come along with xylazine, it’s a vasoconstrictor. So when you’re injecting it, it’s actually reducing the blood circulation.”
To address this growing crisis, the LA County Sheriff’s Office has initiated a program aimed at tracking the substance. Previously overlooked due to its legal status, the program, which started in mid-April, involves crime lab analysts documenting instances where traces of xylazine are detected in seized drugs.
The program will run for approximately one month before authorities determine the necessary next steps. “In the greater Los Angeles area, we are seeing xylazine as an additive within fake fentanyl pills,” revealed Nicole Nishida, spokesperson for the DEA LA Field Division. She added, “While the numbers are relatively low in our community compared to elsewhere in the United States, the presence of xylazine is now becoming more frequent, and the trend is concerning.”
Cary Quashen, an addiction expert, expressed his shock at the severity of the situation, stating, “I’ve never seen anything like what we’re dealing with right now.” Quashen recounted a harrowing incident involving a woman whose sister had passed away from a fentanyl overdose. He explained, “But not only was it a fentanyl overdose, but her skin was starting to rot, the muscles on her leg and her arm. So that’s a sure sign of xylazine.”
Los Angeles is not the only area grappling with the horrors of this substance. In March, the DEA issued an urgent public safety warning, revealing that xylazine is being used as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl and has infiltrated 48 states. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer highlighted the deadly consequences of the “zombie Drug” in New York, where it has been linked to numerous deaths. The gravity of the situation has prompted calls for immediate action and increased vigilance nationwide.
