Zombie Drug Starting Spread in the United States, Officials Warn

VIVA – Some cities in the United States (US), such as New York City and Los Angeles are being shocked by a drug that turns people into zombies. 

Officials in Los Angeles have issued an emergency alarm over of a "zombie drug", which can have horrific effects on addicts including eating their flesh alive.

The local drug called "tranq" also known as the animal tranquilizer xylazine, can cause horrific side effects when mixed with other illegal drugs like heroin and fentanyl.

It is an animal tranquilizer approved in the United States for cattle and horses but is now flooding the US illegal drug market. 

Authorities in LA are aggressively tracking it down as its use is increasing rapidly. The side effects are particularly scary, as they can cause the user's skin and muscles to rot, according to reports.

"This drug is going to hurt people," Drug Enforcement Administration special agent Bill Bodner stated. 

"It can stop someone from breathing and the other bad things that come with xylazine, which is a vasoconstrictor. So when you inject it into your body, it reduces your blood circulation," he added.  

The LA County Sheriff's Office is starting a program that will track how common the dangerous substance is, which is not meant for humans. This has become a priority for authorities recently because previously, it was not an illegal drug, local outlets report.

The program began in mid-April, with lab analysts detecting early signs of xylazine in seized drugs, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"In the greater Los Angeles area, we are seeing xylazine as an additive narcotic in counterfeit fentanyl pills," DEA LA Field Division spokesperson Nicole Nishida told. 

"While the numbers are relatively low in our community compared to elsewhere in the United States, the presence of xylazine is now becoming more frequent and the trend is very concerning," Nishida continued. 

Los Angeles is not the only place dealing with the horrific substance. The DEA issued a public safety alert in March, that xylazine is being used as a cheap "substitute narcotic" for fentanyl and has reached 48 United Statest. 

In New York, the "zombie narcotic" has been linked to dozens of deaths, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in late March.