NEW YORK – New York State Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a bipartisan coalition of 39 Attorneys General to pass the Countering Illicit Xylazine Act (HR1839/S. 993) to the congressional leadership. Helps prevent xylazine trafficking and prevent xylazine-related deaths. Today’s letter follows a nationwide surge in overdose deaths linked to xylazine, a potent veterinary drug widely mixed with fentanyl and other opioids and readily available online. was done. Over the past few months, several federal agencies, including the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), have issued public warnings about the dangers of xylazine. Just recently, the White House declared fentanyl-laced or fentanyl-associated xylazine (FAAX) to be a “new threat” to the nation.
“New Yorkers and all Americans are threatened with yet another dangerous drug that is killing them at an alarming rate,” it said. Attorney General James. “When used correctly, xylazine is an important veterinary drug, but it was not specifically intended for human use as an additive to fentanyl. It’s the latest iteration of the opioid crisis we’ve robbed.We recognize the grave dangers of these drugs, and we’re equipping New York State and all of us with the tools we need to combat this new threat before it’s too late. We must pass the Federal Anti-Illegal Xylazine Act to provide states.”
Xylazine is only approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a veterinary drug used for sedation and pain relief in large animals. In humans, xylazine is known to depress respiration and heart rate, lower blood pressure, and can lead to unconsciousness, necrosis, and even death. Because xylazine is not an opioid, existing drugs such as naloxone do not reverse the effects of drugs when used with opioids.
According to the DEA, between 2020 and 2021, xylazine-related overdose deaths will rise dramatically across the country, rising 1,127 percent in the South, 750 percent in the West, and 516 percent in the Middle East. 103% in the Northeast region. Xylazine has also been implicated in hundreds of deaths across New York State, with more than 180 fatal overdoses in Monroe County alone since 2019. New York City is also seeing an increase in xylazine, according to the New York City Special Counsel for Narcotics. Between January and October last year, the number of deaths increased by 36 percent compared to the same period in 2021. Additionally, about 23 percent of fentanyl powders and about 7 percent of fentanyl tablets seized by the DEA in 2022 contained xylazine. To prevent the spread of FAAX in communities and keep people safe, Attorney General James and the Coalition stressed the importance of measures outlined in the Illegal Xylazine Countermeasures Act, including:
- Classify the illegal use of xylazine as a Schedule III drug under the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
- Allows the DEA to track the manufacture and sale of xylazine and ensure that it is not diverted.
- Requires the U.S. Attorney General, acting through the DEA and working with the FDA Commissioner, to present to Congress a report detailing the prevalence of xylazine, the risks, and recommendations on how to control the illegal use of xylazine.and
- All salts, isomers and other forms of xylazine should be covered when restricting illegal drug use.
In addition to Attorney General James, co-leading today’s letter are Connecticut Attorney General William Tonne, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Scumetti. They include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland. , Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada and New Jersey. Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
Today’s action is the latest in Attorney General James’ efforts to combat the opioid epidemic and keep New Yorkers safe. In March 2019, Attorney General James filed a historic lawsuit against various opioid manufacturers and distributors to blame for their role in the crisis. Attorney General James has raised $2.6 billion from companies including Teva Pharmaceuticals, Mallinckrodt, Allergan, Pea, McKesson, Cardinal Health and Amsource Bergen to support New York state’s opioid reduction, treatment and prevention efforts. Collected more than a dollar. Attorney General James also led a multi-state coalition to settle billions of dollars with CVS, Walgreens and Walmart for failing to properly regulate opioid prescriptions. In addition, Attorney General James has cracked down on dozens of drug traffickers, taken action against drug traffickers, and removed dangerous drugs from New York communities.