Tackling Tranq: fight against deadly combination of fentanyl, animal tranquilizer

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A mix of fentanyl is raising the stakes in the fight against addiction in a deadly way.

Tranq, a combination of fentanyl and xylazine, an animal tranquilizer is a growing issue across the country.

Xylazine can extend the length of a fentanyl high when injected it can cause wounds and flesh to rot leading to amputations.

It's a drug Julian Carvajal is glad he never encountered.

"I hear people all the time who got sober 5, 10 years ago they'll tell me 'if fentanyl was around when I was using I would probably be dead' and I've only been sober over 2 years and there's already a new drug that's killing people that I probably would be dead if I was using," said Carvajal.

Carvajal started using fentanyl as a teenager for several years he tried to stop using the drug on his own and sought professional help after an overdose in July 2020, then again after getting arrested just weeks before his 18th birthday.

"I just kind of thought you know I have to do a couple things to get my family off my back and get everything situated so I can go back to using," said Carvajal.

By October 2021 he made the decision on his own to seek treatment and has been sober ever since.

He's determined to beat the odds and survive fentanyl when so many others didn't.

Now Tranq is circulating around the country addiction specialists say there is no treatment specific for the drug and its resistant to Narcan.

The DEA reported in 2022 xylazine was found in about 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% of fentanyl pills seized by the organization.

National leaders are hoping to cut the drug off at the source by tracking the production and trafficking of the drug worldwide.

"It's flowing into our community, it's killing our youth and so we need to be able to track and understand the flow of fentanyl and Tranq into the United States and know what countries are actually behind all of this activity," said Rep. Vince Fong, (R) California.

Rep. Vince Fong is co-sponsoring a bill to add Tranq to the annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report.

"Having the data, understanding where these narcotics are coming from will allow us to better allocate resources to go after these cartels," said Fong.

Flindt Andersen founder of Parents and Addicts in Need said the legislation is just the start.

"When you just cut off the supply you better have a solution to that and right now we don't have enough beds in this country, especially to serve those that have MediCal or a governmental aid insurance," said Flindt Andersen, P.A.I.N..

Andersen said he'd like to see more funding for addiction programs and support on state and national levels.

The STOP TRANQ Act was introduced in the House as a companion bill to one of the same name in the Senate in March. Fong is hopeful that one or both of the bills will succeed and law enforcement will be better equipped to tackle tranq.

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