Xylazine is an easily accessible veterinary tranquilizer that is being used as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl
The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would schedule this dangerous drug and give law enforcement the tools they need to go after traffickers
Casey: “The last thing we need is another drug compounding the tragedy of fentanyl and making the street drug supply even deadlier”
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in the U.S. Senate and House to call for urgent passage of an updated version of their Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is an easily accessible veterinary tranquilizer that is being used as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl. Since it is not an opioid, its effects cannot be reversed by naloxone. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has designated fentanyl combined with xylazine as an “emerging threat.” The bipartisan legislation would schedule this dangerous drug and give law enforcement the tools they need to go after traffickers, while protecting access for veterinarians, farmers, cattlemen, and ranchers who use xylazine to treat large animals.
“As we work to stop the flow of fentanyl which is ravaging communities across Pennsylvania, the last thing we need is another drug compounding the tragedy of fentanyl and making the street drug supply even deadlier,” said Senator Casey. “Moreso than anywhere in the country, Philadelphia has seen the tragic consequences of xylazine, and the Combating Illegal Xylazine Act will provide law enforcement with the resources to crack down on this rapidly growing threat to our communities. I’m proud to join a bipartisan group of my colleagues to call for its passage.”
The updated Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would:
- Schedule xylazine as Schedule III illicit substance under the Controlled Substances Act;
- Ensure veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers can still use the drug for its intended purpose by creating a clear definition of “ultimate user” – someone lawfully permitted to possess a controlled substance for legitimate use;
- Enable the DEA to track its manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market; and
- Require a report on prevalence, risks, and recommendations regarding xylazine.
Senator Casey has led efforts in Congress to crack down on the spread of fentanyl and xylazine. Casey has been a long-time supporter of the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, and in February, he introduced a measure that would require the Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence to conduct a report on the illicit trafficking of xylazine and non-fentanyl derived synthetic opioids into the United States. Last month, the Senate passed the Casey-backed FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which targets, sanctions, and blocks the financial assets of transnational criminal organizations, from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs from Mexico. Casey has been traveling around Pennsylvania meeting with law enforcement and families of victims of fentanyl overdoses as he pushes for passage of the bill. Casey also introduced Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act increases staffing capacity and technology to detect illicit drugs and other contraband being smuggled through ports of entry along the border. Provisions from the bill were initially included in the bipartisan emergency border and national security bill introduced in the Senate last month, but were removed by Senate Republicans after the former President came out against the deal.
###
