{"id":2399879,"date":"2025-02-06T16:55:59","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T21:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-three-emerging-drug-threats-in-the-us\/"},"modified":"2025-02-06T16:59:38","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T21:59:38","slug":"the-three-emerging-drug-threats-in-the-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-three-emerging-drug-threats-in-the-us\/","title":{"rendered":"The three emerging drug threats in the US"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthe-three-emerging-drug-threats-in-the-us%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2399879&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Lawmakers were recently briefed about emerging drug threats in the U.S., with discussions\u2062 focusing on marijuana laced with fentanyl, the horse\u200b tranquilizer xylazine, and synthetic opioids known as nitazenes. These\u200d substances are considered \u200cthe top concerns due to their dangerous effects and increasing prevalence.<\/p>\n<p>Fentanyl,\u2063 a potent opioid originally used for severe pain management, has contributed to the opioid epidemic and\u2062 has frequently enough been mixed with marijuana, leading to \u2064serious overdoses and complications,\u200c notably in regions where marijuana\u200b has been legalized. Officials highlighted\u200d the \u2064risk\u2063 of unregulated\u200d marijuana products being adulterated, resulting in health emergencies, \u2063particularly\u200d concerning THC-infused gummy candies that\u200c mimic candy and are easily ingested by children.<\/p>\n<p>xylazine, known \u200bas &#8220;tranq,&#8221; is\u200c legally used as\u2063 a sedative for\u2064 animals\u200c but is\u2062 increasingly mixed with fentanyl to heighten sedation and euphoria, frequently enough resulting \u200cin severe respiratory\u2063 issues \u200band a \u200bheightened\u200d risk\u200b of death.Users can exhibit unique symptoms, leading to its nickname due to the\u200c zombielike state it induces.<\/p>\n<p>Nitazenes, emerging synthetic opioids, have\u200c been linked to\u200b numerous\u2064 deaths and \u200dcan be more potent than fentanyl. First\u200c identified around 2019, nitazenes are now spreading across various states, posing\u2063 a notable risk as they are often disguised within\u2062 other drugs.<\/p>\n<p>The testimonies during the hearing\u2062 underscored \u200cthe urgent need \u200dfor regulation\u2062 and\u2064 preventive\u200c measures to tackle this evolving landscape\u2063 of illicit\u200b drug \u2063use and the accompanying health risks.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Fentanyl-laced marijuana, horse tranquilizer, and nitazenes listed as <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">top emerging drug threats<\/a> in US<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1259740\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Lawmakers on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/washington-dc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Capitol Hill<\/a> were briefed by drug experts about emerging illicit drug threats in the United States and what to expect in the next few years.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Marijuana laced with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fentanyl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">fentanyl<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2581226\/zombie-drug-of-horse-tranquilizer-laced-fentanyl-ravages-us-and-alarms-health-officials\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">zombie drug xylazine<\/a>, and nitazenes were listed as the top concerns people will face in the evolving drug ecosystem, during a Thursday hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health.<\/p>\n<p>The emergence of fentanyl marked the third wave of the opioid epidemic following the abuse of prescription painkillers and a rise in heroin use that prompted major concern during former President Barack Obama&rsquo;s administration. Fentanyl is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/blitzing-the-airwaves-psa-campaign-on-counterfeit-goods-shifts-vision-in-age-of-fentanyl\/\" title=\"Taking over the airwaves: Public service campaign tackles counterfeit goods in the era of ...\">legitimate pharmaceutical drug<\/a> that is used to treat severe pain and advanced-stage cancer patients.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fentanyl-laced marijuana and hemp<\/h2>\n<p>Oakland County, Michigan, Sheriff Michael Bouchard, vice president of government affairs for the Major County Sheriffs Association, said the legalization of marijuana in certain states has led to an &ldquo;adulteration&rdquo; of marijuana products.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve actually found outside of our supply chain, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/simultaneous-use-of-cannabis-and-alcohol-went-up-in-people-ages-21-50-as-states-legalized-recreational-marijuana-study-finds\/\" title=\"Simultaneous Use Of Cannabis And Alcohol Went Up In People Ages 21-50 As ...s Legalized Recreational ..., Study Finds\">legal supply chain<\/a> of marijuana, illegal marijuana has been tampered with and has fentanyl in it, and so we&rsquo;ve seen all of these things really need a regulated, inspected process,&rdquo; Bouchard said.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Timothy Westlake, an emergency medicine physician at ProHealth Care Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin, said he has recently seen overdoses in his emergency room of people who had ingested fentanyl-laced marijuana.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) said the southwest region of his state had also dealt with major problems with THC gummy bears, or candy-like chews that are supposed to contain CBD but may have an &ldquo;unregulated, unknown amount of THC&rdquo; packed inside.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Kids get a hold of them and they think they&rsquo;re candy, and then they overdose,&rdquo; Griffith said. &ldquo;And then, when I say overdose, I&rsquo;m not talking about deaths at this point, but there have been some indications there may actually have been some brain damage.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Westlake said he saw marijuana poisonings last week from gummies.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve seen it in the past &hellip; two or three episodes last week alone,&rdquo; Westlake said.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Xylazine<\/h2>\n<p>Fentanyl is also increasingly mixed with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/retired-navy-officer-gets-100-stitches-after-brutal-mugging-in-philadelphia-while-walking-his-dog\/\" title=\"Navy officer mugged in Philly, needs 100 stitches.\">drug called xylazine<\/a>. Also known on the street as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2581226\/zombie-drug-of-horse-tranquilizer-laced-fentanyl-ravages-us-and-alarms-health-officials\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">&ldquo;tranq,&rdquo;<\/a> it puts users in a&nbsp;zombielike state of consciousness.<\/p>\n<p>The Food and Drug Administration has only approved xylazine as a sedative for large animals, such as horses and deer. As a medicine that veterinarians use, it is not a controlled substance, which has made it easier to acquire in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>Xylazine is often combined by cartel chemists with fentanyl in order to &ldquo;amplify sedation and euphoria,&rdquo; at the cost of causing respiratory suppression and a high lethal risk to the user, according to Westlake.<\/p>\n<p>A user who takes xylazine and fentanyl, either by injecting, snorting, swallowing, or inhaling it, can experience unique physical symptoms not seen among users of other types of drugs, prompting the &ldquo;zombie&rdquo; name. <\/p>\n<p>Xylazine causes blood vessels to constrict, limiting blood flow. Without adequate blood supply, the skin takes on the appearance of lesions at the injection site and throughout the body. The skin stretches out and disintegrates, posing a risk of limb amputation.<\/p>\n<p>Naloxone, also referred to as Narcan, is an antidote for opioid overdoses, but because xylazine is not an opioid, the emergency medicine only stops the effects of fentanyl, not the tranquilizer, making those who overdose more likely to have lethal repercussions.<\/p>\n<p>Tranq is already here. In 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration found xylazine mixed with fentanyl in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dea.gov\/xylazine-information\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">49 of 50 states<\/a>. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nitazenes<\/h2>\n<p>Nitazenes are a type of manmade or synthetic opioids that can be as potent and deadly as fentanyl. <\/p>\n<p>Westlake testified that nitazenes have been implicated in hundreds of deaths nationwide recently, &ldquo;emerging as the newest spigot.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The DEA put out a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dea.gov\/stories\/2022\/2022-06\/2022-06-01\/new-dangerous-synthetic-opioid-dc-emerging-tri-state-area\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">notice<\/a> to its Washington division in 2022 warning that nitazenes were being found in drugs on the street in the District of Columbia, but it has taken several years for the drug to expand to other regions.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;First identified around 2019 in the Midwest, this dangerous drug has moved into the Southern states and, more recently, along the Eastern seaboard,&rdquo; the DEA notice reads. &ldquo;Much more potent than heroin and morphine (similar to fentanyl), [the substance] is being mixed into and marketed as other drugs to make drugs more potent and cheaper to produce. The major concern: This drug can and has caused deadly overdoses in unsuspecting victims.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1259740\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1259740\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fentanyl-laced marijuana, xylazine, and nitazenes are top drug threats<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2655,"featured_media":2399880,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/zombie-drug-tranq-xylazine.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[49962,32565,49963],"class_list":["post-2399879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-emerging-drugs","tag-substance-abuse","tag-us-drug-threats"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/zombie-drug-tranq-xylazine.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2655"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2399879"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399879\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2399883,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399879\/revisions\/2399883"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2399880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2399879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2399879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2399879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}