In The News - 4/16/2024
The Spokesman-Review
‘Tranq’-laced fentanyl nearly doubles in Clark County
Paul Hunter’s legs are rotting. The wounds along his calves, skin and ankles are eating away at his freckled flesh. Every time he takes his socks off, the wounds rip open again.
He said his legs feel like they’re being burned or stabbed, but he’s addicted to the fentanyl that’s often laced with a veterinary tranquilizer likely causing his wounds. If he doesn’t smoke fentanyl, he experiences brutal withdrawal symptoms that can include vomiting, diarrhea, chills, muscle cramps and bone pain.
“It’s not fun at all,” he said. “I just get too sick to move things around. I can’t even tie my shoes or anything.”
So he again buys the drug that’s become the bane of his existence. And his wounds get deeper.
How to helpSigns of an overdose include pinpoint pupils, loss of consciousness, shallow breathing, choking sounds, limpness and pale, blue or cold skin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If someone is showing the signs of a possible opioid overdose involving opioids and xylazine, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health ServicesAdministration recommends taking these steps:1. Call 911 and stay on the phone until first responders arrive. Washington has a good Samaritan law to protect people trying to save someone from an overdose.
2. Give naloxone, a drug that can reverse the effects of an overdose. Naloxone or Narcan will not cause harm if opioids are not involved in an overdose, but be aware that the effects of an overdose may continue after naloxone is given if xylazine is involved.
3. Give rescue breaths and chest compressions. Rescue breaths are important for overdoses possibly involving xylazine because the sedative slows breathing. To give an adult rescue breaths, make sure the airway is clear, place one hand on the chin, tilt the head back and pinch the nose closed. Seal your mouth over the person’s mouth and give two slow breaths, watching the person’s chest rise. Follow up with one breath every 5 seconds. For chest compressions on adults, place the person on their back, press hard and fast on the center of the chest and keep your arms extended.
4. Monitor the person. If the first dose of naloxone hasn’t taken effect after two to three minutes, another dose may be necessary.
The presence of that veterinary tranquilizer – a deadly drug called xylazine – has almost doubled in Clark County’s drug supply since November, according to Columbia River Mental Health Services.
The data suggests that at least 10% of the illicit fentanyl in Clark County is laced with xylazine. That’s still a small amount overall, but the prevalence of xyalzine is growing, said Dr. Kevin Fischer, chief medical officer at Columbia River Mental Health Services.