A new drug, which is increasingly being used, has serious consequences for the body.
Drugs abound and the deployment of new substances is often quite rapid. If 3-MMC was brought to the fore a few weeks ago following Pierre Palmade’s accident, it is now another drug, hitherto unknown in France, which is making the news. : the “tranq”. A name that is actually a diminutive of its original meaning: tranquilizer. This new cam is not like the others since it is a derivative of a sedative used for animals by veterinarians: xylazine. Its use on a human has never been tested. However, some do not hesitate to divert its initial use in order to take drugs, not without causing serious consequences.
Black marks on the body and heart risks
According to experts, its consumption – generally associated with fentanyl-type opioids – causes an effect visible to all. “Severe skin necrosis” can indeed appear on the skin, that is, certain parts of the body can turn red due to the death of cells, due to the drug. They can even turn black since ingesting “tranq” can cause lesions, consequences of ulcerations.
In addition, risks of depression of the central nervous system, hypertension, hypothermia or even slowing of breathing and heart rate are consequences of the absorption of this drug. It can even drive the consumer into a lethargic state. The “tranq” is thus nicknamed “the zombie drug”.
In France, the authorities have not yet sounded the alarm on the subject. But it is in the United States that vigilance is required, a country where this drug has been designated as an “emerging threat”. However, its consumption is not new across the Atlantic. It was in the early 2000s that the substance made its appearance, about 30 years after having received authorization for use by veterinarians.
However, its detection in a human by the American anti-drug agency has soared since 2020. The organization would also like to understand where the substance comes from, if it is a national “market” or imports from foreign countries. Funds could be released by Joe Biden’s government to advance clinical research on the issue, in particular with a view to developing an antidote.