April 25, 2024
Ofc. Kent Keller, PIO
Greeley Police Department
(970) 351-5387, Desk
[email protected]
GREELEY, Colo. – Over the last couple of months, the Weld County Drug Task Force (WCDTF) has identified a tranquilizer called “Xylazine” to be found in counterfeit blue M-30 pills, which also contain fentanyl, in Greeley, Colorado.
Xylazine is a sedative used in veterinary medicine. The effects of ingesting it include pain relief and muscle relaxant properties. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Xylazine is not a controlled substance, but it is not approved for use in humans. The combination of Xylazine and fentanyl is known to place users at higher risk of suffering a fatal drug overdose.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued warnings stating that administering naloxone, also referred to as NARCAN, during the event of a Xylazine-related overdose will not be effective at reversing the overdose symptoms. This is because Xylazine is not an opioid. Experts still recommend the use of a naloxone for someone who is suffering from a drug overdose though, as Xylazine is frequently mixed with opioids, such as fentanyl, and it could alleviate those symptoms. If someone around you is displaying signs of overdosing, emergency medical services should be sought immediately.
In 2023, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released a national response plan to address the emerging threat of fentanyl combined with Xylazine. The overall goal of the national response plan is to terminate this emerging threat and to protect the public health and public safety at a statewide level.
No additional information will be released today. If you have any information regarding the distribution of any illegal narcotics in our community and have not been interviewed by officers, please contact the Commander Scott Smith at 970-351-5211.