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DEA issues warning about the dangers of xylazine
One of the things that makes xylazine so dangerous is that it’s resistant to Narcan.
By Tara Jabour
WBNS – 10TV
The Drug Enforcement Agency said xylazine is a growing problem in Ohio and across the country.
Xylazine is often mixed with fentanyl, but the drug is an animal tranquilizer.
Brian Mulcahy, the special agent in charge at the Columbus district office for the DEA, said over the years the drug trade has changed, and it’s gotten worse.
“Synthetic drugs have changed the game. It’s made the drug trade more deadly it’s a public health, public safety issue because people don’t know what they are ingesting,” said Mulcahy.
Mulcahy said xylazine comes from China and then gets mixed with fentanyl in Mexico.
What makes xylazine so dangerous? It’s resistant to Narcan.
“Xylazine, because it’s not an opiate, Narcan is not effective against it. We are in a crisis with fentanyl, so this is making it more deadly,” he said.
Adam Jurich is the vice president of Nursing and Addiction Services at Maryhaven, a local drug addiction treatment center. He said the mixing of drugs increases risk dramatically.
“People are mixing it with fentanyl to get kind of a sedative effect on top of the opiate effect of fentanyl where you don’t feel anything,” said Jurich.
Maryhaven provides treatment for those who are addicted. Their location on South High Street accepts anyone 24/7.
“You can come in 24/7 and walk in, get evaluated. We can help you start the process of recovery, start the process of detox,” said Jurich.
Jurich said when it comes to addiction in central Ohio, it’s hard to gauge. Maryhaven works closely with hospitals and the health department to monitor what’s happening.
“It goes through waves. Like xylazine comes out, you get new waves of people. It ebbs and flows with that,” said Jurich.