BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. — A dangerous and deadly new drug has made its way to Northern California.
Its street name is “Tranq,” or the “zombie drug,” and it contains a lethal concoction of fentanyl and a horse tranquilizer called xylazine.
Butte County reported multiple cases of the drug.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, recently said “Tranq” is making fentanyl, the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, even deadlier.
It can be found in pills, powder and needles. Xylazine a horse tranquilizer knowns as "Tranq" is the new deadly drug. In Butte County, the Behavioral Health Department, led by Scott Kennelly, has been tracking it.
“It’s the next fentanyl on steroids,” said Kennelly.
It's not uncommon to hear about fentanyl being found in other narcotics to cut them, however, "Tranq" is the new drug that is now being cut with fentanyl and will soon be its replacement.
Butte County found it by testing people in their rehabilitation program. They had one case in June and two in July.
“The individual was actively seeking xylazine from his dealer. The other two didn’t know xylazine was in their system. It was a shock to them. They said, 'What is this?' and 'How did it get into the system?'" So, even a street drug user isn’t aware it’s in the drug supply,” said Kennelly.
Since the ability to test just became available to them in April, there’s most likely more out there. The drug is popular because it’s cheap and provides a better high.
It’s also known as the "zombie drug" because it eats people alive.
“Open sores. In some cases, it will eat down to the bone. We know of individuals, not here in Butte but elsewhere, that have had arms, finger, toes, amputated,” said Kennelly.
Both Butte County and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Crime Lab are predicting Tranq will become more prevalent.
Kristel Suchland, supervising criminalist in Sacramento, is worried.
“We are just now starting to see it; we have a handful of cases,” said Suchland.
They’ve seen it coming from miles away as the West Coast follows East Coast trends.
“90% of their street drug supply is contaminated with xylazine, so it’s just progressively marched across and now it’s here in California,” said Kennelly.
It's a widespread threat with no cure if someone overdoses.
“Narcan does not help; it only helps with opioids,” said Suchland.
There is no medication to bring someone back from a xylazine overdose.
Law enforcement agencies said one way to make xylazine less accessible is to make it a controlled substance, which is exactly what Congress is trying to do.
The “Combating Illicit Xylazine Act” was introduced in March by California Congressman Jimmy Panetta. It’s currently making its way through the subcommittee on health.
WATCH ALSO:
