Emerging Drug ‘Tranq’ Making Inroads in Rochester Region

Drug used as horse tranquilizer increasingly seen in cases of opioid overdose deaths

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Since 2021, a newcomer to substance abuse disorder has been making inroads in the area: xylazine.

Known as “tranq” on the street, the horse tranquilizer is not FDA approved for use in humans and is not under the jurisdiction of the Controlled Substance Act.

It is available as a veterinary sedative under the brand names of Rompun, Sedazine and AnaSed.

“Tranq or xylazine is not routinely tested for in toxicology testing or by medical examiners, so we are not able to speak to its overall prevalence in New York state,” said Evan Frost, assistant director of communications and public information with the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports in Albany. “We do know that it has been found in testing conducted in New York City and there have been instances of wounds and skin ulcers related to xylazine in other regions of the state, so we know it is also outside of New York City in some capacity.”

According to a report by the Office of the Medical Examiner Monroe County, xylazine “has also appeared frequently in opioid overdose deaths, taking off notably in 2021 with 19.1% of the cases containing this com-