The Deadly Rise of Xylazine: Overdose Deaths and Mysterious Wounds Plague Florida
Treasure Island, Florida – In late 2022, Andrew McClave Jr., a 36-year-old bartender and avid weightlifter, was found dead in his bed. A medical examiner determined that he had a fatal amount of fentanyl, cocaine, and xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer used to sedate horses, in his system. McClave’s death is just one of over 260 accidental overdose deaths involving xylazine in Florida in the past year, according to a Tampa Bay Times analysis of medical examiner data.
Xylazine, a tranquilizer approved for use in animals in the early 1970s, has made its way into the illicit drug supply in the United States. It was first reported in Philadelphia and has since spread south and west. However, the exact role that xylazine plays in overdose deaths remains unclear. The Tampa Bay Times analysis revealed that no one fatally overdosed on xylazine alone. The painkiller fentanyl was found to be partly responsible in almost all cases where xylazine was involved. Cocaine or alcohol also played a role in cases where fentanyl was not present.
While fentanyl is considered the main culprit in most overdose deaths, xylazine complicates the response to opioid overdoses and makes it harder to save lives. Xylazine can dangerously slow breathing and does not respond to the overdose reversal drug naloxone. Many people may not even be aware that they are taking xylazine when using other drugs, which increases the risks.
Lawmakers in Tallahassee classified xylazine as a Schedule 1 drug in 2016, but it remains legal at the federal level. Several other states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, have taken action to classify it as a scheduled substance. Legislation is currently pending in Congress to criminalize illicit xylazine use nationwide. The White House has also designated the combination of fentanyl and xylazine, known as “tranq dope,” as an emerging drug threat.
The spread of xylazine use and its impact on users remain largely unknown. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has identified multiple ways in which the tranquilizer is entering the country, including from China and through fentanyl brought across the southwestern border. Some theories suggest that dealers are mixing xylazine into fentanyl because it is cheap and affects the brain, allowing them to use less fentanyl while achieving the same effects.
In Florida, men accounted for three-quarters of fatal overdoses involving xylazine, with almost 80% of those who died being white. East coast counties, such as Duval County and Tampa Bay, saw the highest death tolls. Cocaine was also found to be a cause in over 80 cases.
Another concerning issue related to chronic xylazine use is the development of mysterious wounds. Needle exchange leaders in Tampa Bay have reported cases of blackened, crusty tissue wounds that can start small but grow and take over an entire limb. Even individuals who snort fentanyl instead of injecting it can develop these wounds. The cause of these wounds remains unexplained and is not seen in animals.
Efforts are being made to address the xylazine crisis in Florida. Harm reduction programs, such as IDEA Exchange Pinellas, have been established to provide support and treatment to individuals affected by xylazine use. These programs offer wound care, new syringes, and naloxone to prevent overdose deaths.
The rise of xylazine in Florida’s illicit drug supply has brought devastating consequences, including a surge in overdose deaths and the emergence of mysterious wounds. While fentanyl remains the primary concern in most overdose cases, the presence of xylazine complicates the response and poses additional risks to users. Lawmakers and health officials are working to address this crisis and prevent further harm to individuals affected by xylazine use.