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Friday, Oct. 11, 2024

Has xylazine, a horse tranquilizer used as a drug, caused deaths in Colorado?

Justin George, The Colorado Sun
yes

Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer used on horses that produces some of the same sedative effects as opioids. It is not approved for human use. 

State health officials said some fentanyl users use the drug to help extend the effects of fentanyl and stave off withdrawal. The drug affects the central nervous system, causing drowsiness, amnesia and low blood pressure. Because it acts like a sedative, xylazine makes it hard to distinguish whether someone has overdosed on opioids. There is no known antidote.

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