The use of a powerful drug to sedate horses and cattle is gaining popularity among humans. This drug is notably linked to an increasing number of poisoning deaths in Ontario.
Posted at 10:58 a.m.
Xylazine is a tranquilizer which produces a strong sedation effect. It can affect cardiovascular functions and cause vomiting.
Data from the Ontario Coroner’s Office indicates that this drug is linked to 26 deaths in 2021. It is believed to be the direct cause of the deaths of three people.
This drug had been detected in five cases of overdose deaths the previous year.
Studies from the firm Get Your Drug Tested seem to confirm this trend.
Since its founding in May 2019, 85 samples have tested positive for xylazine, including 50 in the past year. Cases have been detected in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario.
Since the beginning of the year, the drug has been detected in 28 samples.