Governor Josh Shapiro came to the offices of a Kensington community group on Tuesday to warn of the dangers of a street drug popular in the area known as "tranq dope." This drug is a deadly combination of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, and xylazine, an animal tranquilizer. Shapiro stated that the drug has been responsible for an increasing number of overdoses in the region, and that it is becoming a major public health concern.
The White House has also declared tranq dope an emerging threat to the nation, as it has been linked to a growing number of overdose deaths across the country. The combination of fentanyl and xylazine is particularly dangerous because xylazine is much stronger than other tranquilizers, and it can cause respiratory depression, leading to death.
Drug dealers are mixing xylazine, an animal tranquilizer relied on by veterinarians, into fentanyl, with deadly results. The drug is often sold in powder form and can be snorted, smoked, or injected. Xylazine is used in veterinary medicine as a sedative, analgesic, and muscle relaxant for large animals like horses and cattle. It is not approved for use in humans by the FDA, and its use in humans can cause serious health problems.
Sarah Laurel spends her days in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood, which is home to some of the most concentrated drug use found anywhere in the country. She has seen firsthand the devastating effects of tranq dope on her community. Laurel said, "It's like a flesh-eating drug. People start to rot from the inside out. It's terrible."
Fentanyl mixed with xylazine has also made its way to the UK, where it is causing havoc. The drug has been dubbed the "flesh-eating drug" because it can cause serious tissue damage and necrosis. Xylazine has been used as a cutting agent for heroin and cocaine in the UK for many years, but its use in combination with fentanyl is a new and dangerous development.
Tranq dope is increasingly being detected in drug overdose cases across the country. On National Fentanyl Awareness Day, we take a closer look at this deadly combination. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, fentanyl is up to 100 times more potent than morphine, and xylazine is up to 10 times more potent than other tranquilizers like diazepam. Together, they can cause respiratory depression, coma, and death.
States are taking measures to crack down on tranq dope, with some imposing stiffer penalties for drug dealers caught selling the drug. In Pennsylvania, Governor Shapiro has launched a public awareness campaign to warn people about the dangers of the drug. The campaign includes billboards, radio ads, and social media outreach.
A woman whose brother was killed by a flesh-eating zombie drug ripping through the US has warned it could hit the UK next. She said, "It's only a matter of time before it starts to kill people in the UK. It's a really scary drug, and people need to be aware of the risks."
In conclusion, tranq dope is a deadly combination of fentanyl and xylazine that is causing a surge in overdoses across the country. The drug is particularly dangerous because xylazine is much stronger than other tranquilizers, and it can cause respiratory depression, leading to death. States are taking measures to crack down on the drug, but more needs to be done to raise awareness about the risks of using it. People need to know that this drug is not only illegal but also extremely dangerous and potentially deadly.
