Xylazine, medetomidine and detomidine

Xylazine, medetomidine and detomidine are particularly dangerous when mixed with opioids or other sedative drugs. They can cause people to overdose and lose consciousness by slowing their breathing. Xylazine is known to cause skin ulcers that can become infected. This can in turn cause serious health problems. Medetomidine and detomidine have the same properties that would cause these ulcers, so could cause them as well, though there is not enough evidence. Injecting drugs containing xylazine, medetomidine or detomidine has its own risks from sharing needles, syringes and other equipment – with the danger of developing serious tissue infections or spreading viral infections like hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV.

Other risks

It’s likely that using xylazine, medetomidine or detomidine can increase your chance of wider social harms. These social harms can include committing crime to afford to buy more drugs, disruption to your family life and other relationships, general poor health and social functioning including through loss of employment.

Xylazine and medetomidine are usually added to other drugs as adulterants.

They might be found added to heroin, which can increase the chance of having an overdose by slowing your breathing to dangerous levels. They have also been seen in fake medicines in tablet form and occasionally in vapes.

In the United States, they have often been added to fentanyl, what is known as ‘tranq dope’, and contributed to large numbers of overdoses.

• Xylazine, medetomidine and detomidine are authorised for use in the UK as veterinary medicines but have not been approved for use in humans by the government medicines agency.

• Xylazine is a Class C drug, for which possession carries a maximum penalty of up to 2 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

• Production and supply of xylazine carries a maximum penalty of up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

  Medetomidine and detomidine are not classed under the Misuse of Drugs Act at the time of writing, but they have been proposed to be classed as Class C drugs. However, being psychoactive, they are covered by the Psychoactive Substances Act, which means they are illegal to give away or sell. Supply and production can get you up to 7 years in prison, a fine or both, There’s no penalty for possession, unless you’re in prison.