Deadly drug Xylazine tied to 5 deaths in Travis County

A deadly drug that has been a growing threat across the country is now tied to five deaths in Travis County. Xylazine is often mixed with fentanyl or other opioids, and does not respond to overdose reversal drugs like Narcan.

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas - A deadly drug that’s been a growing threat across the country is now tied to five deaths in Travis County, officials reported at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

"We've now identified five cases of deaths we were investigating here in Travis County in which xylazine was detected," said Travis County Medical Examiner Dr. J. Keith Pinckard.

Xylazine, also known as "tranq", is an animal sedative often used on horses. In people, xylazine can enhance the effect of fentanyl, with the Drug Enforcement Administration recently warning of a sharp increase in the trafficking of drugs containing both.

"It’s produced very inexpensively in China. And again, it is not a controlled substance," said Pinckard.

In all five of the Travis County deaths involving xylazine, officials say fentanyl and other drugs were present as well. But tranq is especially concerning because it can cause rotting of the skin, and, unlike opioids, there’s no way to reverse its effects.

"Xylazine is not an opioid, so it is not reversed by Narcan. And in fact, there is not any available agent to reverse the effects of Xylazine," said Pinckard.

"We’re going to see much more profound overdose events," said Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes.

This news comes as overall fentanyl-related deaths in Travis County continue to rise. 127 people died of fentanyl overdoses in the first five months of this year—with a projected 300 deaths by the end of 2023. That would be a 22% increase over last year.

Families affected by fentanyl gather

Families who lost loved ones to fentanyl gathered in Williamson County to mark National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day.

"We know in general that drugs in our community are still mixed with fentanyl and that they could be potentially mixed with xylazine. And we need to warn people now to save lives," said Travis County Judge Andy Brown.

When it comes to saving lives, officials say fentanyl and xylazine test strips could be a game changer. Sen. John Cornyn is leading an effort to legalize them both at the federal level.

Locally, Travis County is spending $1.4 million in federal opioid settlement money for treatment and recovery services.

"We need to normalize the conversations around the use of drugs," said Phil Owen of Communities for Recovery.

And with xylazine on the rise, a reminder to families with children that those conversations need to start at home.

"Now is the time to talk to your kids," said Travis County Precinct 3 Commissioner Ann Howard. "We can’t shy away from the hard conversations, because the consequences right now are too dire."

Even given the rise of xylazine, officials stress that using Narcan still improves the chances of surviving a drug overdose, because it can still counter the effects of opioids that may be in a person’s system. You can obtain Narcan by calling 311.