“America’s Greatest Threat”
This drug is known as “Tranq” or (Tranq dope), and it is a mixture of xylazine (a cocaine-like veterinary drug given to calm large animals and relieve pain, such as horses, cows and other mammals) and fentanyl (the most dangerous type of drug).
And xylazine is approved in the country by the United States Food and Drug Administration, but it is only used for animals.
The zombie drug is injected and deaths from it increase due to the difficulty of processing its effects, as it reduces the user’s heart rate and impairs their breathing.
When ingested, it causes the skin to rot, as the person dies and staggers on the ground, hence the name “zombie drug”.
The Americans believe that “the case has turned into a national disaster, especially as the drug trafficking networks act in a twisted way through the use of colors, fraud methods and innovations in the process of marketing”.
A specialist reveals the causes of the danger
Hala Ghosn, head of drug and vaccine research and studies at the American University of Texas, said, in contact with ‘Sky News Arabia’: “This new drug of its kind in the United States is one of the most difficult crises facing the country.” “Fentanyl overdose deaths have increased to over 70,000 in recent months.” “Fentanyl is one of the strongest types of drugs, and it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but it’s used for pain relief, especially after they leave the operating room. , as well as for cancer patients, and it is used under supervision.” Fentanyl is rated as 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. “The leading cause of death from these drugs is overdose, most of which occurs after using fentanyl in the form of illegally manufactured pills.”
Sneaky Marketing
In his speech, Ghosn also touched on how the drug is promoted, saying, “According to US Drug Enforcement Administration sources, young people are being tricked into selling it illegally, and it’s being sold as pills that contain fentanyl and other deadly substances.”
She added: “It is important to realize that a small amount of fentanyl is enough to kill a person. There are criminal networks working to produce and market these pills through social media platforms as legitimate pills. ”
The pharmacist explained: “Unfortunately it has become available to everyone, even children, and is sold in colored pills which are particularly targeted at teenagers and are known as (Rainbow Fentanyl).”
Asked about possible ways to combat the spread of these drugs, she told Sky News Arabia: “It is clear from statistics from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration that in the year 2022, the United States was able to prevent the sale of more than 57 million fentanyl tablets.†“During the year 2023, official authorities confiscated and worked to stop the marketing of several types of narcotic pills, which would have led to 111 million fatal doses.” “Awareness is very necessary to face this danger, and to trust the prescription of the doctor and to consult the pharmacies, when buying medicines.” “Intensive awareness campaigns are being conducted by the University of Texas and other universities and schools, and May 9 is dedicated to raising awareness about fentanyl, which is a zombie drug.”
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