The White House has named the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine as an “emerging threat” when it’s mixed with the powerful opioid fentanyl, noting that the combination is increasingly being used and triggering overdoses.
The decision to name the drug as such, announced Wednesday, is the first time in U.S. history that the federal government declared a substance to be an emerging threat, said Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, in a statement.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved xylazine for veterinary use more than 50 years ago, primarily used for sedation, anesthesia, muscle relaxation, and analgesia in horses, cows, cats, and other mammals. However, it’s never been approved for human use….