It’s getting harder and harder for people in Arizona to live safe and healthy lives because of the growing drug problem. Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is becoming more popular in the state. It is a strong and dangerous drug that is getting into the illegal drug supply, mostly in fentanyl and heroin. Tranq was first used to calm down animals in veterinary medicine, but it has not been approved for use in people.
Its injection can cause serious skin damage, trouble breathing, and even death from abuse. A lot of people in Bisbee, Arizona, a small city near the Mexican border known as the state’s drug trade hub, use tranq. This blog post will go into more detail about this. Furthermore, we will look into the main reasons for this worrying situation, its effects, and possible answers.
How to Understand Tranq and Its Risks
Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists are what Tranq, or xylazine, is in the group of drugs. Tranq is related to the drug clonidine, which is used to treat high blood pressure and ADHD, but it works better and lasts longer than clonidine. The FDA has only allowed it for use in veterinary medicine to sedate, painkillers, and relax muscles in animals like horses and dogs. However, it is very dangerous and could even kill people if they eat it.
Tranq can make you sleepy, slow your breathing, give you skin sores, and in the worst cases, put you into a coma and kill you. When mixed with other drugs like opioids, cocaine, or booze, the danger increases. This makes the risk of overdose higher and makes naloxone, which is used to treat opioid overdoses, less effective.
How Tranz came to be in Bisbee, Arizona
Bisbee is a small city with only about 3,000 people that is close to the Mexican border. It has a bad image for being the drug smuggling capital of Arizona. Once a thriving mining town, it became a tourist spot and a safe place for artists and retirees when the mines closed in the 1970s. However, WalletHub says that the city is now dealing with a lot of drug overdose deaths, drug arrests, and fentanyl seizures.
Fentanyl, a man-made drug that is at the root of the national opioid crisis, is not the only problem in Bisbee. Tranq has become a worrying new drug on the city’s drug market in recent years. Often mixed with or used to cut fentanyl and heroin, tranq makes the drugs stronger and more potent. It is cheap and easy to get because it is not controlled and can be bought online or from veterinary sources. This makes it a good choice for people who want to feel euphoric and relaxed for a long time.
What Happens When You Use Tranq
Using Tranq has bad effects on both the person using it and the group as a whole. Infections, ulcers, and necrosis can hurt the skin and cause it to die or need to be cut off. Because tranq slows down breathing, it makes naloxone less effective, which raises the chance of overdose. Being unconscious after using tranq also makes users more vulnerable to violence, making them more likely to be robbed or attacked. Also, it’s clear that the healthcare system is under a lot of stress because there are more calls for emergency services, hospital stays, and wound care.
Taking Care of the Tranq Issue in Bisbee
The traffic problem in Bisbee needs an organized, all-around solution from many groups. Some possible methods are:
- Surveillance and Monitoring: Check drugs for tranq.
- Gather information about the frequency, patterns, and results of tranq.
- Services for reducing harm: Make syringe swap programs bigger.
- Set up safe places to take drugs.
- Give out naloxone and teach people how to avoid overdosing.
- Services for treatment and recovery:
- Make it easier for people to get behavioral therapy and medication-assisted care.
- Peer help programs should be made stronger.
- Police work and criminal justice:
- Increase the number of arrests, investigations, and prosecutions. Look into other types of diversion for drug users who are not violent.
Public Education and Awareness: Make more people aware of how dangerous it is to use tranq.
Teach people who work in healthcare, first responders, schools, and policymaking about the problem.
In Conclusion
Tranq is a new and dangerous threat to people in Bisbee, Arizona, and other places as well. Even though it is a drug for animals, getting into the illegal drug market has very bad effects. Because the problem is so complicated, the surveillance, harm reduction, treatment, law enforcement, and teaching sectors need to work together. People who are impacted by tranq can lessen the damage and save lives if they work together.
