Known as “tranq” or “tranq dope” on the streets, xylazine has become increasingly present in the illicit drug supply. The drug can be cooked down into a powder form and mixed with illicit opioids such as heroin and fentanyl or pressed into counterfeit pills or sedatives. But, it also causes the skin to rot; the drug eats away at the skin causing disfigurement, limb amputation in some cases, along with death from overdosing.
“I’ve never seen anything like what we’re dealing with right now,” said Cary Quashen, an addiction expert.
KTLA:
We had a woman come in and her sister had passed away from a fentanyl overdose,” recalled Quashen. “But not only was it a fentanyl overdose (but) her skin was starting to rot, the muscles on her leg and her arm. So that’s a sure sign of xylazine.”
Growing concerns over the increasing prevalence of xylazine in L.A. have law enforcement officials and addiction specialists extremely concerned.
“I’ve never seen anything like what we’re dealing with right now,” said Cary Quashen, an addiction expert.
