Vet medication known on the street as ‘tranq’ leads to more overdose deaths in Yukon

The Yukon government says its coroner’s service is investigating six suspected toxic drug deaths between Sept. 23 and Oct. 4.

A statement from the health minister says four of the deaths are confirmed as related to toxic drugs, bringing the total number of drug overdoses in the territory this year to 12.

It says an investigation into the other two deaths is expected to be completed in the coming days.

Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee says a key concern with the tragic surge of fatalities is the increasing presence of xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer that has been detected in significant quantities in the deaths.

What is Xylazine?

Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” “tranq dope,” or “zombie drug” on the streets, is a sedative and muscle relaxant used to put large animals and livestock to sleep for surgery in veterinary medicine.

McPhee says xylazine is not an opioid and is resistant to the opioid-reversing medication naloxone, raising the risks for those using illicit substances.

Last year, St. Paul’s Hospital addiction medicine specialist Dr. Paxton Bach said when xylazine is mixed with opioids it has unpredictable effects, including prolonging a fentanyl high, blackouts, amnesia, and heightened risk of overdose.

‘Tranq’ also can also cause what he describes as “scary to life-threatening consequences” like deep skin wounds that eat away at a person’s flesh.

“It can also lead to these really aggressive non-healing skin ulcers that are quite difficult to treat and can lead to infections and potentially even limb amputation,” Bach told Global News.

The Yukon government declared a substance use health emergency in January 2022 in response to a surge in overdose deaths in the territory.