Devin Bair is a 42 year old Pennsylvania resident who had been using opioids for years but never before had she experienced anything as powerful as xylazine. She first took it without knowing two years ago when it infiltrated her dealer’s supply, and she unknowingly became addicted to it. Xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer that isn’t meant for use in humans, is an increasingly common adulterant pervading the U.S. illicit drug supply, but little is known about its effects on the human body or how to treat the intense withdrawal symptoms it causes.
Xylazine, a drug that is used to treat addictions and reduce their symptoms, has become a common substance in Philadelphia. A 2021 study conducted by the city’s public health department found traces of it in More than 90% of samples of dope—a mix of different illicit drugs. It’s unclear exactly how many people in Philadelphia are using xylazine, but in 2021, at least 434 fatal overdoses There was xylazine involved. The danger of xylazine remains a mystery. And as health care workers struggle to understand it, fears grow that the crisis may spread. The Biden Administration deemed xylazine-laced fentanyl an “Emerging threat” in April and asked Congress for $11 million to combat it. 