Xylazine found in western Minnesota
Xylazine is a horse tranquilizer that is commonly mixed with fentanyl.
Authorities have found xylazine in western Minnesota, according to the CEE-VI Drug and Gang Task Force, which covers about 100,000 people across five counties in west-central Minnesota.
As previously reported by 5 INVESTIGATES, xylazine is a horse tranquilizer that is now being mixed with fentanyl to make the high last longer.
RELATED: A horse tranquilizer is making Minnesota’s fentanyl crisis even more dangerous
Unlike fentanyl, xylazine isn’t an opioid — meaning Narcan isn’t as effective in treating overdoses. However, experts say that Narcan should still be administered during an overdose, as it is impossible to know whether xylazine is causing the reaction.
Xylazine has been found in 48 out of 50 states.
RELATED: MDH warns of ‘alarming’ rise in xylazine-involved deaths in Minnesota
Authorities state that ingesting xylazine can also cause severe wounds, as well as necrosis — the rotting of human tissue — which can lead to amputation.