Traces of a deadly drug called “tranq” has been found in the bodies of people who died of an overdose in San Francisco, authorities say.
Tranq, or xylazine, is an animal tranquilizer that authorities believe is added to illicit street opioids to heighten and prolong effects, particularly for fentanyl, which is known for short, but intense, highs.
The substance has been found in the drug supplies in eastern regions of the U.S. for years, but this is the first time it has been identified in overdose deaths in San Francisco, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
Trace amounts of tranq were found in four out of 145 people who died of an overdose that were tested between Dec. 1, 2022, and Jan. 15 this year. All four of the cases also involved fentanyl, according to the city’s public health department’s alert released on Feb. 16….