LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Xylazine, a potent animal tranquilizer, was found during the testing of illicit drugs in Clark County. This drug, often referred to as “tranq,” can be exceptionally dangerous, especially when combined with opioids like fentanyl.
While xylazine has not been extensively reported in Nevada, the Southern Nevada Health District announced that it recorded three overdose deaths involving xylazine in 2023, compared to one death in 2020. The health district also noted that Clark County’s overdose death rate involving fentanyl surged by 561% from 2018 to 2023.
Xylazine can induce life-threatening conditions, including a severe drop in the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to tissues, significant skin ulcers, elevated blood sugar levels, and reduced bladder control. For more details, visit this link.
The illicit drug samples were collected through the health district’s community surveillance program, which anonymously gathers and tests drug paraphernalia. The health district emphasized the importance of exercising “extra caution” because xylazine is not an opioid, rendering naloxone (Narcan) ineffective in reversing its effects. The health district offers test strips for fentanyl and xylazine without a prescription at 280 S. Decatur Blvd. and other locations.
