In early January, Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) in Kitchener announced through Instagram that 18 out of 30 – or 60% — of fentanyl samples tested also contained the animal sedative, xylazine.
Leigh Wardlaw of CTS talked to CKMS news about xylazine, why it is added to the supply, the health impacts, and the wider problem of adulterating drugs.
Leigh also explains the importance and impact of testing, and how to access the service. Although, that access may be limited as CTS’s current funding ends at the end of March, leaving the service with an uncertain future.
Some research cited in the story:
- Health Canada, March 2023 Spotlight : The emergence of Xylazine in Canada
- Waterloo Region CTS Data Dashboard
- The White House, April 12, 2023. Biden-Harris Administration Designates Fentanyl Combined with Xylazine as an Emerging Threat to the United States