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Tags Posts tagged with "Xylazine"

Xylazine

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Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Medetomidine is a veterinary sedative, similar to xylazine, that was first found in Philadelphia’s drug supply in May 2024. Since then, it has spread across Pennsylvania. Medetomidine is 100-200 times more potent than xylazine and can cause longer-lasting sedation, low heart rates, and more severe withdrawal symptoms. It is not an opioid but is found in the illicit drug supply.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) is seeking information about complications associated with medetomidine in the drug supply. DOH is particularly interested in SUD treatment providers’ responses to the following.

  • Are you seeing an influx in clients presenting with worsening withdrawal symptoms (e.g., racing heart, severe nausea, high blood pressure, tremors, confusion)?
  • Are you seeing an increase in clients leaving against medical advice?
  • Have you had to send clients to the hospital because their symptoms required a higher level of care?
  • Are there any other changes you are noticing in your community that you think DOH should know about?

You can email your responses to DOH Senior Harm Reduction Technical Advisor Roseanne Scotti or RCPA SUD Treatment Policy Director Jason Snyder.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) and Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH), in collaboration with the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education (CSFRE), are providing virtual trainings to clinicians and non-clinicians on best practices for caring for individuals with xylazine-associated wounds. These trainings are offered at no-cost to attendees.

The trainings will be offered in two separate two-hour sessions for individuals and organizations working in Pennsylvania.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) will offer an instructor-led, two-hour training titled, “Xylazine: A New Drug Additive.” Savage Sisters Recovery, a Pennsylvania nonprofit that provides trauma-informed recovery housing, harm reduction, outreach, and statewide education, will lead the training.

According to a recent New York Times article, “In Philadelphia, and increasingly in drug hot zones around the country, an animal tranquilizer called xylazine — known by street names like ‘tranq,’ ‘tranq dope’ and ‘zombie drug’ — is being used to bulk up illicit fentanyl, making its impact even more devastating.

“Xylazine causes wounds that erupt with a scaly dead tissue called eschar; untreated, they can lead to amputation. It induces a blackout stupor for hours, rendering users vulnerable to rape and robbery. When people come to, the high from the fentanyl has long since faded and they immediately crave more. Because xylazine is a sedative and not an opioid, it resists standard opioid overdose reversal treatments.”

This instructor-led training will provide information on national and statewide opioid statistics and updates on current drug supply trends, including critical information on xylazine. A demonstration of overdose reversal procedures when the presence of xylazine is suspected is also included in this training.

DDAP is holding two sessions of this training at its office in Harrisburg on May 25, 2023. Please visit DDAP’s Training Management System for details and to register. Pennsylvania Certification Board continuing education credits will be available for these sessions.

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