Santa Cruz County public health officials on Thursday issued a warning about an uptick of xylazine in the area’s illegal drug supply. When combined with fentanyl, the sedative typically used on animals as a pain reliever, is known as “tranq.”

“Xylazine is increasingly being mixed into street drugs, leading to a higher risk of overdose and serious health complications,” said Dr. Lisa Hernandez, Santa Cruz County health officer. “The safest approach is to avoid using street drugs. Stay as safe as possible: Never use alone, recognize the signs of overdose, seek help, and stay informed.”

Fentanyl overdose deaths doubled in Santa Cruz County last year, killing 133 people. Earlier this month, a Santa Cruz woman was charged with murder after police opened an investigation into the possible fentanyl exposure death of her 18-month-old daughter.

In a message to area health care providers and residents, the county warned that xylazine is sometimes mixed with fentanyl or heroin without the knowledge of a drug user and can “cause drowsiness, amnesia, serious skin wounds, as well as slow breathing, lower heart rate, and a decrease in blood pressure to dangerous levels that can lead to death.”

While the effects of xylazine are not reversed by opioid antagonist naloxone (often distributed under the brand name Narcan), county health officials still recommend that it be administered in an overdose to reverse the effects of the opioid component of “tranq.” They also urged people to call 911 and “provide rescue breathing if needed,” and said that if xylazine is present, a user could still be very drowsy after receiving naloxone.

The county said that drugs that have xylazine present are also more likely to cause infections, abscesses or ulcers, commonly occurring at injection sites. 

In its statement, the county stressed that naloxone is available over the counter at pharmacies and for free from many community sites, a listing of which can be found here. 

People who are ready to seek treatment for substance use were urged to call the Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health Division at 800-952-2335 if a primary care physician is not an option.

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