Egypt Daily News – The synthetic drug xylazine, commonly referred to as the “zombie drug,” is spreading rapidly across Mexico and various Latin American countries, prompting growing concern among public health officials, law enforcement agencies, and international drug monitors. A recent report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warns that xylazine, originally developed as a veterinary sedative, is increasingly being detected in illicit drug markets throughout the region, often mixed with potent substances such as fentanyl and heroin.
A growing threat in drug combinations
The UNODC’s Global SMART Program notes that xylazine found in the Zombie drug, which has already raised serious health concerns in the United States, has now been found in drug samples in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Costa Rica. In response, public health authorities in Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico have issued health warnings regarding the risks associated with multi-drug mixtures containing both fentanyl and xylazine.
One study conducted in two Mexican cities found that 61 out of 300 drug samples containing fentanyl and heroin also tested positive for xylazine. This non-opioid sedative is not approved for human use and has only been authorized for use in veterinary medicine.
Severe health effects
The physiological effects of xylazine include sedation, euphoria, dry mouth, confusion, drowsiness, memory loss, and dangerously low heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate. When combined with other central nervous system depressants such as opioids, benzodiazepines, or alcohol, the risk of overdose increases significantly. Symptoms may include respiratory suppression, apnea, cardiac arrhythmias, and in some cases, coma or death.
In Chile, the Public Health Institute (ISP) detected xylazine mixed with up to eight different substances. In Colombia, a pink and purple powder known locally as “tusi” was found to contain a range of drugs, including ketamine, ecstasy (MDMA), methamphetamine, and caffeine.
Urgent need for coordinated response
The UNODC report stresses that the increasing presence of xylazine in street drugs requires greater attention from health care professionals, law enforcement, lawmakers, and drug users themselves. Authorities are being urged to prioritize both preventative education and regulatory controls in an effort to prevent a wider public health crisis.
Experts warn that without swift intervention, Latin America could see a surge in overdoses and other serious medical complications linked to the use of adulterated drugs containing xylazine.
