Videos of people acting weird on the streets of Philadelphia, United States are going viral and are being linked to a new drug, Xylazine, also known as “tranq” or the “zombie drug”.
The video clips started surfacing on the internet last year and show people being incapable of standing straight or walking properly. Even the health authorities have flagged dangerous side effects regarding the drug, which is a combination of illicit drugs like heroin and fentanyl.
About The Drug
The person who consumes the drug stands appearing like a zombie. He/she has a slow sluggish zombie-like walk, drowsiness, respiratory issues, ulcers and raw wounds on the skin, and rotting of the skin.
The US Food and Drugs Administration only approved the drug for use in animals. However, people are also consuming it as a sedative and a painkiller. The National Institute of Health has said that the drug can cause drowsiness, amnesia, slow breathing, and very low heart rate and blood pressure.
Notably, the US FDA hasn’t found out yet if the drug is being illicitly produced or is being diverted from the animal drug supply.
Why Is It Dangerous?
The ‘zombie drug’ is considered dangerous as it is an amalgamation of fentanyl, heroin, and other illicit drugs and if the person consumes it, it is close to impossible to revive the person. This is because the overdose of non-opioid xylazine prevents the person from reacting to naloxone, a drug used to reverse an overdose of medication.
Also Read: How To Survive Some Of The Craziest Apocalypses, Zombie Attacks & Aliens
It was first found in Philadelphia and later also spread to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other parts of the country. Fortunately, any information on its spread in India hasn’t yet been reported.
Cases And Treatments
According to the New York City Department of Health, in the city, 2,668 people died in 2012 because of its overdose. Also, routine toxicology screens cannot detect the drug, making it difficult to detect and cure on time.
The US FDA has said that health authorities will continue to investigate how people are able to consume a drug originally produced for animals and expose its illicit supply so that no more people are harmed because of its consumption.
Image Credits: Google Images
Feature image designed by Saudamini Seth
Sources: Quint, Wion, Hindustan Times
Find the blogger: Palak Dogra
This post is tagged under: zombie, drugs, United States, Philadelphia, zombie drug, New York, New York city, Xylazine
Disclaimer: We do not hold any right, copyright over any of the images used, these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly mail us.
