‘Tranq dope’: Dangerous animal tranquillizer spreading in Canada’s street drugs – CBC
Xylazine can cause extended blackouts, horrific wounds that may lead to amputation
Mar 23, 2023
Canada’s highly toxic illicit drug supply is worsening with the emergence of xylazine, a dangerous and unpredictable animal tranquillizer that’s putting drug users’ lives at risk in alarming new ways, and advocates are calling for more to be done to address the issue.
The severely potent veterinary sedative, known on the street as “tranq dope” or “zombie drug,” is being cut with opioids like fentanyl to prolong their effects, but can also cause hours-long blackouts and horrific, painful wounds that can lead to amputation.
“It puts people in sort of blackout states, people are at really high risk of walking into traffic because they don’t really know what’s going on,” said Matt Johnson, a drug user and harm reduction worker at the Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre in Toronto.
“We have definitely seen people get brain injuries from having these mild overdoses again and again and again. We’ve had people who have died from a mix of fentanyl and xylazine.”
