The animal tranquillizer xylazine is already causing concern in the United States and results from a drug-testing site in Canada show it’s becoming more common north of the border
Nigel Caulkett, a professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary, says xylazine produces a deep state of sedation that affects cardiovascular function and can induce vomiting.
In Ontario, the tranquillizer was not linked to any deaths in 2019 but was detected in five opioid-related fatalities the following year, the Office of the Chief Coroner said in a statement. In a statement, Health Canada cautions that there are limitations with its data, and it may not be representative of drug seizures or what substances are circulating in the illicit market.
Caulkett said there have been no such reports in his animal patients but suggested that if people are reusing or sharing needles, it could lead to infection. High doses of the tranquillizer could also result in “death of the skin.”Results from Get Your Drugs Tested, a free drug-checking website in Vancouver, show xylazine often appears in combination with other drugs like fentanyl or benzodiazepines.
Allen Custance, site manager of Get Your Drugs Tested, said there’s limited information on xylazine’s effect on people as it’s relatively new to the drug market.
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