Doctor shares ‘zombie’ Tranq drug horror including amputation & warns laced pills ‘leading cause of death for 18 to 40s’
A DOCTOR has warned of the devastating effects of a skin-rotting “zombie” drug that is laced in pills across the US.
Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is an animal tranquilizer that causes severe skin ulcers to erupt from injection sites, causing rotting flesh and sometimes multiple amputations.
7
Clinical psychologist Eric D. Collins has warned of the devastating effects of a skin-rotting ‘zombie drug’ called tranqCredit: The US Sun
7
Tranq, or Xylazine, is an animal tranquilizer that people suffering from addiction have begun to use to extend the effects of opioidsCredit: Getty
7
Philadelphia (pictured) saw around 90 percent of street drugs with traces of tranq, which can cause poorly healed flesh wounds to erupt from the skinCredit: Getty
Public health officials have issued warnings about the veterinary drug after it cropped up in 48 US states.
People suffering from opioid addiction turn to tranq in order to lengthen the oftentimes short high from fentanyl.
But even those who are not actively seeking out the drug could succumb to its lethal effects after Xylazine killed a record of nearly 107,000 people in the US in 2021.
Speaking exclusively to The U.S. Sun, clinical psychologist Eric D. Collins warned that overdose has now become the leading cause of death for adults aged 18 to 42 in America.
“It’s a serious problem in this country,” the addiction specialist said.
“Every young person should be aware that pills they might buy are extremely dangerous.”
Dr. Collins, who works as the chief medical officer for Recovery Education & Applied Learning, said the zombie drug can cause skin infections that don’t heal.
The wounds, often found in the extremities, can lead to issues like gangrene which rots the flesh and can require amputation.
“We’ve seen some people with multiple amputations of different parts of their body,” Dr. Collins said.
The U.S. Sun previously reported that former addicts have even spoken about seeing people continue to inject the drug into their stumps.
James Sherman, a former user, told CNN that people “aren’t ready to see” the effects of the horrific drug.
“It’s literally people’s flesh rotting, and you can smell it,” he said.
Tranq is directly associated with the horrific fentanyl crisis, which has seen tens of thousands of users stop breathing due to the opioid’s depressing qualities.
The effects of fentanyl can be reversed with the life-saving drug Naloxone, also known as Narcan, but tranq, which is unfit for use on humans, cannot be stopped.
URGENT WARNING
In a recent investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration found that 60 percent of drugs purchased on the street were made to look like something they were not.
In Philadelphia, 90 percent of drugs on the street contained traces of the zombie tranquilizer, Dr. Collins said.
The shocking statistic comes after parents have been warned that drug dealers could use apps like Snapchat to sell counterfeit items to teens that end up being fatal.
Zach Didier was just 17 years old when he died of fentanyl poisoning after taking a pill that he thought was Percocet just two days after Christmas in December 2020, his heartbroken parents said.
“Nobody necessarily is looking for Xylazine,” Collins told The U.S. Sun.
“What they’re looking for is the supply of a drug.”
Collins said that dealers will trick users into branding substances to look familiar when they actually contain fentanyl and tranq.
Dealers do this so that they will get hooked faster and come back looking for more, the doctor said.
Fentanyl can relieve anxiety and give a powerful sense of “warmth and well-being,” which rivals no other drug.
When cut with fentanyl, xylazine can induce a semi-conscious state which leaves people’s upper bodies hanging over their legs in the street as they move very slowly or not at all.
This is where it gets its name “zombie drug.” However, with a bigger hit comes a bigger need for addicts to buy it.
Philadelphia mayoral candidate David Oh told The U.S. Sun that the deathly effects could also encourage people suffering from addiction to turn to it.
“Deadly drugs sell the best… when addicts get high they are in heaven, and when they’re not high, they’re very unhappy,” Oh said.
He added: “They’re living for the high….if they hear about a person who died, that’s it, they’re going for it.
“Death is a big seller, it’s a money maker.”
STOP THE SPREAD
Dr. Collins pushed back on a growing culture that encourages the use of drugs.
He speculated that the legalization of marijuana could create a “permissive” culture that leads teens to try other substances unthinkingly.
Collins clarified that marijuana is far less dangerous, but still can cause mental health issues and psychotic breaks in young people.
He went on to urge people to always be aware of their decisions and to not take a risk on one pill.
“Anybody who doesn’t get a prescription medication from a known pharmacy prescribed by a doctor appropriately would be worried in 2023,” he said.
“Laced pills have become the leading cause of death among people 18 to 40… We should get the word out.”
New legislation is being passed which will make Naloxone an over-the-counter drug, and hopefully, increase its availability among at-risk users.
While it has no effect on tranq, Collins advocates for the use of Naloxone as it could save someone from succumbing to a deadly dose of fentanyl.
Political leaders are also working with countries that appear to be producing large quantities of fentanyl to lessen the crisis.
While these improvements at a national scale are important, Dr. Collins reminded the public that it’s critical to have safe conversations with loved ones who appear to be suffering.
“There’s a lot of stigma around substance use and it can be hard to talk about,” he said.
“I think families can get education about how to talk to their children. It can have an important impact.”
Recovery Education provides tons of educational resources on establishing family support, exploring treatment options, and researching insurance options.
7
Xylazine can cause skin-rotting lesions to form on the bodies of usersCredit: Cureus
7
Naloxone can reverse the effects of fentanyl but has no effect on tranqCredit: Getty Images – Getty
7
Dr. Collins said there is a stigma associated with addiction, and that families should create a space for safe conversation when they wish to speak with someone who is sufferingCredit: Getty
7
Overdose is the leading cause of death in adults aged 18 to 42Credit: Getty
No Byline Policy
Editorial Guidelines
Corrections Policy
Source