PARTY SAFE - Xylazine

Xylazine

Xylazine is a veterinary sedative and pain reliever, FDA approved for large mammals (not approved for humans). Xylazine is prevalent in the opioid supply on the East coast and has been reported anecdotally in the opioid supply in the Portland area. Xylazine is not being added to any drug aside from opioids.

Xylazine is not an opioid so it does not respond to naloxone. However it is most commonly mixed with opioids that will respond to naloxone so always administer naloxone if someone has symptoms of an opioid overdose.

Why is Xylazine Added to Opioids?

Xylazine is not usually taken alone but is most commonly found mixed with illicit opioid drugs (e.g. fentanyl, heroin). This is because xylazine is synergistic with opioids and increases the duration and effect of opioid drugs.

Fentanyl is increasingly replacing heroin in the drug supply. Fentanyl wears off faster than other opioids so users may need to use more frequently. However, if fentanyl is mixed with xylazine, the effects last longer. As fentanyl becomes more common and other opioids are harder to find, xylazine will likely continue to be used frequently.

It is unlikely that Xylazine would be purposefully put into non opioid drugs, however cross contamination is possible

Xylazine Effects

Short Term Effects

Sedation, blurred vision, dry mouth, low blood pressure, low heart rate, weak reflexes, respiratory depression, disorientation, drowsiness, slurred speech, and risk of overdose.

Chronic Effects

Incontinence, high or low blood sugar, anemia, and severe skin wounds.

Harm Reduction Tips for Xylazine

Test your drugs for xylazine if you are an opioid user. Outside In has high tech free drug checking equipment and we have some xylazine test strips to distribute to opioid users.
Try to avoid using alone, but if you have to check out Safe Spot and the Never Use Alone hotlines.
There’s some discussion about it being safer to snort, smoke, or boof drugs mixed with xylazine but we don’t know much about the risks of other routes of administration yet.
If you notice wounds that aren’t healing keep a close eye on them. If they go necrotic go see a doctor ASAP.

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