TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning Floridians about the rise in presence of a “flesh-eating zombie drug” that was detected in hundreds of Floridians who died last year.
Xylazine, or “tranq” as it’s also known, is a Schedule I controlled substance in Florida, meaning it’s a crime to possess or sell it in the Sunshine State. The sedative is also resistant to standard opioid reversal treatments, like Narcan, and makes one of the deadliest drugs in history, fentanyl, even deadlier.
The drug was recently the subject of a DEA warning notifying Floridians of the sharp rise in fentanyl and xylazine trafficking.
“There has never been a more dangerous time to take a chance on any illicit substance, and this drug is only making the problem worse,” Moody said. “I’m urging everyone to never use illicit drugs, just one pill or one use can kill.”
According to the DEA, xylazine and fentanyl mixtures have been seized in 48 states, including Florida and lab reports show in 2022, about 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% of fentanyl pills seized contained xylazine.
Xylazine is known to cause severe wounds like necrosis—the rotting of human tissue that may lead to amputation.
According to a recent news report, at least 236 Floridians died last year with xylazine in their system.
Floridians struggling with addiction can use the free treatment-locater tool located on TreatmentAtlas.org to find local treatment services for them.