Animal tranquilizer drug xylazine poses new threat to local opioid crisis
A potentially deadly drug is creeping into Ontario’s street drug supply and fueling overdoses.
Xylazine, also known as "tranq,” is an animal tranquillizer used in veterinary medicine that is not approved for use in humans.
The drug can be cut with opioids such as fentanyl.
“You can't tell by the physical appearance, what's in that substance, and that's very dangerous,” said Patrick Kolowicz, director for mental health addictions at Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare.
The drug causes excessive respiratory depression. Another serious symptom is skin ulcers that spread out from the injection site. The skin wounds can be so severe that the infected body part may need amputation if left untreated.
A chart depicting xylazine detection in opioid overdose deaths. (Source: Office of the Chief Coroner)In a recent local opioid alert, a memo from Ontario health officials warns of a recent increase in the presence of xylazine and benzodiazepines in the province’s unregulated drug supply.
“The drug supply broadly is very volatile. It evolves rapidly and there are new things are trending up all the time,” said Dr. Sarah Konefal, analyst at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA).
Data from Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner shows there were nearly no deaths connected to xylazine prior to 2020. A dramatic jump in 2021 and 2022 saw 128 drug-related deaths had detected xylazine over the two-year period. Two of those deaths were reported in Windsor-Essex, and four in Chatham-Kent.
Xylazine has no approved antidote. Since it’s not an opioid, naloxone does not reverse its effects.
A chart depicting xylazine detection in opioid overdose deaths. (Source: Office of the Chief Coroner)
Staff at Pozitive Pathways Community Services have had to adjust their approach in dealing with overdoses.
“With a normal opiate overdose, the naloxone is going to kick in. You might not have to do rescue breathing and chest compressions. With xylazine in our supply, you're definitely going to need that to keep the person's heart beating,” said Lacie Krzemien, harm reduction community education coordinator.
Larger cities like Toronto and Vancouver have been able to detect xylazine through drug checking services.
Windsor’s Safepoint consumption and treatment site will offer drug checking services.
“They'll be able to test it before they take it. They will know that's something they don't want to ingest,” said Krzemien.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.