THE BUZZ!
First came fentanyl. Now this state is counting the casualties from another deadly drug.
Next,
The opioid epidemic is bad, in one state it’s really bad, the worse. West Virginia, considered as ground zero in the American opioid crisis, with nearly twice as many overdose deaths per capita as its nearest competitor, is facing an increasing threat. Xylazine, a sedative used in veterinary medicine.
This drug is being mixed with fentanyl, creating a lethal combination that is causing severe harm and increasing overdose deaths. Doctors are struggling to treat the addiction due to lack of research.
To make it worse, Narcan, the drug used to reverse opioid overdoses, is ineffective against it, further complicating emergency response.
One doctor stated, from conversations with patients, that xylazine “augments and intensifies the fentanyl,” making the high stronger and longer-lasting.
That same drug is also known to cause deep skin ulcers that can lead to amputations, and potential repeated seizures.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Xylazine is now present in one out of every nine overdose deaths nationwide involving illicit fentanyl.
New drugs, new problems.
Information is power. Stay in the know.
Source:: NBC
