A tranquilizer called xylazine is increasingly being found in the US illegal drug supply and linked to overdose deaths. Xylazine—which is not approved for use in people—can be life-threatening and is especially dangerous when combined with opioids like fentanyl.

Xylazine (also called “tranq” or “tranq dope”) is a non-opioid sedative or tranquilizer. Although not a controlled substance in the United States, xylazine is not approved for use in people. -cdc.gov

Call 911 for any suspected drug overdose. Give naloxone. First responders have reported that rescue breaths are especially helpful for people who have used xylazine because it causes breathing to slow down.

What are symptoms and health risks of xylazine?

When used in people, xylazine can cause (FDA Nov alert):

sedation

difficulty breathing

dangerously low blood pressure

slowed heart rate

wounds that can become infected

severe withdrawal symptoms

death

Keep those lines of communication open with your kids, teens and young adults and talk about the risks of experimenting with pills and other drugs.

The sooner we talk to our children about alcohol and drugs, the greater chance we have as a parent or caregiver of influencing their decisions about substance use and drinking. Having many little conversations over time allows parents and caregivers to set clear rules and exceptions around underage substance use.