Powerful Animal Sedative Mixture Increasing In Fatal Overdose Risks In Ocean: Prosecutor

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office is warning about an increased risk of fatal overdoses due to trafficking of fentanyl mixed with a potent veterinary sedative.

The state Department of Health warned that xylazine, known on the streets as "Tranq," is a powerful sedative only approved for use in animals. It is not safe for human use, the health department said.

Xylazine is a non-opioid drug that is a muscle relaxant. In an overdose, it slows down the central nervous system, which can then cause difficulty breathing, confusion, loss of coordination, and coma. Other symptoms of a xylazine overdose include hypotension (a well-below normal low blood pressure), bradycardia (an abnormally slow heartbeat), hypothermia, miosis (extreme constriction of the pupils) and high levels of blood glucose.

People who inject drug mixtures containing xylazine also can develop severe wounds, including necrosis — the rotting of human tissue — that may lead to amputation, the prosecutor's office warned.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration said xylazine has been mixed with fentanyl and heroin, and combined with the effects of the opiates, has led to an increase in fatal overdoses.

One-third of fentanyl and heroin in New Jersey in 2022 had been mixed with xylazine, according to New Jersey State Police.