xylazine and drug mixing Drugs are often cut (mixed) with other substances to reduce cost and enhance effects. Common cutting agents include salt, caffeine, aspirin, and dangerous drugs like meth, fentanyl, benzocaine, lidocaine, and bath salts. Xylazine is used as a cutting agent with illicit fentanyl and opioids. The person using the drug may or may not know what is cut into their drugs.
Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer. Sometimes it is called "tranq." It can lower your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure to potentially fatal levels. Injecting xylazine can also cause skin ulcers, infection, and necrosis. It can be a liquid, or white or brown powder. However, because it is mixed into pressed pills or other powders, it may be impossible to detect. It is very dangerous when taken with alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, and other substances that also lower heart rate and blood pressure and slow breathing. The Administrator of the DEA stated that it is making the opioid epidemic “even deadlier.” Flip this card over to learn about how xylazine impacts Narcan.