Viral videos of people 'acting weird' in the US have been linked to a new drug called Xylazine, also known as 'tranq,' or the 'zombie drug.'
The video clips that started surfacing on the internet last year shows people on the streets unable to stand upright or walk properly, and moving sluggishly.
Health authorities in the US have flagged dangerous side effects linked to the use of the drug in combination with other illicit drugs including heroin and fentanyl.
What makes it a 'zombie drug'? Here's what we know about the drug and its side effects.
What makes it a zombie drug: The drug has alarming side effects that make a person look like a 'zombie', including:
Slow and sluggish, 'zombie-like' walk
Drowsiness and respiratory depression
Ulcers, and raw wounds on the skin spreads rapidly
'Rotting' of the skin
If left neglected, may require amputation
Yes, But why is it accessible? Xylazine is a central nervous system depressant that acts as a sedative and a painkiller. However, it must be noted that the drug has only been approved by the US Food and Drugs Administration for use in animals.
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), it can cause drowsiness and amnesia and slow breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure to dangerously low levels.
The US FDA has put out a statement since the 'zombie' videos emerged warning that the drug should not be used in humans, and that it can have 'life-threatening side effect'.
According to the US FDA, it isn't clear yet if the Xylazine being used in humans is illicitly produced, or diverted from the animal drug supply.
Why should you care? What makes the 'zombie drug' so dangerous is that if you overdose on Xylazine mixed with fentanyl, eroine, or other illicit drugs. It's close to impossible to revive the person, as naloxone, or Narcan, the most common overdose reversal treatment do not work with Xylazine.
Where it's been found: According to reports, Xylazine first surfaced in Philadelphia before spreading to San Francisco and Los Angeles, and other parts of the country. Side effects from illicit use of the drug has not been reported in India yet.
The bigger picture: According to the New York City Department of Health, 2,668 people died in New York alone in 2021 because of its overdose, reported Hindustan Times.
Moreover, according to the US FDA, Routine toxicology screens do not detect Xylazine, making it really difficult to pin it as a cause in cases of drug overdose.
The US FDA has also said that health authorities in the country will continuing to investigate the source of Xylazine in the illicit drug supply, and will provide an update when new information is available.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)