The drug supply in Thunder Bay, Ont., is increasingly being cut with xylazine, an animal tranquillizer that's resistant to naloxone, outreach organizations said. Testing found many samples of pink and purple fentanyl were found to contain traces of the potent veterinary sedative that's nicknamed the "zombie drug."Georgina McKinnon says she's increasingly seeing xylazine, a horse tranquillizer, in samples of fentanyl in Thunder Bay, Ont. The drug supply in Thunder Bay, Ont.
The sedating effects and severe wounds have given xylazine the nickname "the zombie drug," said Georgina McKinnon, executive director for People Advocating for Change through Empowerment . "It seems like every time we test fentanyl that they're buying at a lower rate. It's because it's cut with xylazine," said Arnold.A dangerous animal tranquillizer called xylazine is increasingly finding its way into the illegal drug supply, Health Canada data shows. The drug can cause serious side effects and is resistant to naloxone, the fast-acting medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.
The amount of xylazine found in Canada's street drugs has been increasing over the last five years according to Health Canada's Drug Analysis Service