Overdoses raise concerns about Winnipeg street drugs being mixed with animal tranquilizer

An animal tranquilizer that has shown up mixed with street drugs, prompting warnings in other jurisdictions, has started to appear in Manitoba, and educators want the public to be aware of its devastating effects.

Xylazine, a tranquilizer used for animals that's not approved for humans, has reportedly been detected cut with drugs like fentanyl in the U.S. and several Canadian provinces, including Manitoba's neighbours.

The office of Manitoba's chief medical examiner says the drug was present in at least three overdose deaths here in 2022, including two in August and one in October.

A Manitoba family physician who specializes in addictions says while she can't say how common xylazine is in Manitoba, she worries the number of overdose deaths so far may only be the tip of the iceberg.

"We probably don't have a clear picture," but "if we're seeing a couple cases, it's probably a problem," said Dr. Ginette Poulin.

Dealers are cutting other drugs with xylazine to add euphoria, along with sedation, to the high, said Poulin.

She warns that an overdose can happen to anyone who uses drugs, whether they live with substance abuse disorders or not. She advises all drug users to make sure they're not alone when they ingest substances, and to sample a small amount first before taking larger doses.

The drug cannot be treated by naloxone, which is used to temporarily reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, according to Health Canada.

In an email to CBC News, Health Canada said the presence of xylazine in drug samples has been increasing.

It's been detected in Manitoba four times since 2019, compared to 487 in British Columbia and 1,441 in Ontario during the same period, and "has also been detected in a proportion of opioid-related deaths," the federal health agency said.

Health Canada says it is evaluating the risks to determine if further regulatory action on the drug is needed.

While the experiences of neighbouring provinces suggest which drugs are moving across Canada, Poulin said something like xylazine can be imported from other countries as well.

"I think we need to keep our eyes open across the world," she said.

"We're all concerned and we're all on alert and trying to look at what we can do differently."