Crisis in East Tennessee: The Alarming Surge of Tranquilizer-Related Deaths
Greetings from the Tennessee Society of Addiction Medicine, where we are deeply committed to addressing the critical issues surrounding addiction within our state. In this article by Vinay Simlot, which can be found here in its original format and context, we explore a pressing concern that has recently come to light, as reported by WBIR: the tragic rise in tranquilizer-related deaths across East Tennessee.
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Xylazine, or tranq, is a horse tranquilizer that’s being mixed with street drugs, the TBI said.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Overdose deaths involving the drug “tranq” rose to a new high across East Tennessee for the first time, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center said. Across the center’s 21 counties, 106 people who died of overdoses had tranq, or Xylazine, in their bodies — over the first nine months of this year.
Xylazine is legal for use by veterinarians as a tranquilizer for animals. The Drug Enforcement Agency said it’s used as an adulterant—which means it’s mixed with other drugs, like heroin or fentanyl, to reduce the amount of money drug makers have to spend on a mixture and increase their profits.
Xylazine is sometimes called the “Zombie Drug,” because it slows brain activity, breathing and heart rates. Those who inject the drug are at risk of amputation thanks to disfiguring sores.
In Knox County, Xylazine contributed to 67 drug-related deaths from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30. The county reported its first Xylazine-related death in 2018.
“It’s not just came in, it’s trying to take over,” said Chris Thomas, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center Director.
The graph below shows how quickly tranq-related deaths grew across the Regional Forensic Center’s 21 counties.
Xylazine is legal for use by veterinarians as a tranquilizer for animals. The Drug Enforcement Agency said it’s used as an adulterant—which means it’s mixed with other drugs, like heroin or fentanyl, to reduce the amount of money drug makers have to spend on a mixture and increase their profits.
Xylazine is sometimes called the “Zombie Drug,” because it slows brain activity, breathing and heart rates. Those who inject the drug are at risk of amputation thanks to disfiguring sores.
In Knox County, Xylazine contributed to 67 drug-related deaths from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30. The county reported its first Xylazine-related death in 2018.
“It’s not just came in, it’s trying to take over,” said Chris Thomas, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center Director.
The graph below shows how quickly tranq-related deaths grew across the Regional Forensic Center’s 21 counties.
