Canadian border officials appear concerned that “industry pressure” is slowing efforts to stop powerful animal tranquillizers from moving through the illegal drug supply.
Criminal organizations are increasingly mixing veterinary sedatives like xylazine, also known as “tranq” or “zombie drug,” into fentanyl to prolong the opioids’ effects and increase value. But drug users often don’t know they’re taking these tranquillizers, which can cause severe wounds and health complications.
While several U.S. states have tried to crack down on traffickers who mix street drugs with animal sedatives, newly released documents obtained by Global News show that the Canada Border Services Agency’s attempt to follow suit has been hampered by industry lobbying.
Global News obtained a CBSA report through access to information laws. In it, border officials say controlling fentanyl itself has faced “little resistance,” but substances with “dual use,” such as veterinarian medication, present a “different challenge.”
On Wednesday, Health Canada listed five chemical precursors used in the production of fentanyl as controlled substances, meaning anyone caught illegally importing or distributing these chemicals could face criminal charges as of April 12.
Xylazine is a prescription drug regulated under the Food and Drugs Act. It is not listed under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which applies to drugs posing a higher risk of abuse or addiction.
“Pressure from the lobbying industry means products that are universally recognized as having negative health outcomes, such as xylazine, aren’t being listed,” the undated report obtained by Global News says.
It’s not clear which industry border officials are referencing. CBSA spokesperson Rebecca Purdy said, “industry lobbying” refers to Health Canada consultations, which may include “advisory committees” and “meetings with stakeholders.”
In a statement to Global News after publication, Health Canada said “no industry has lobbied Health Canada regarding the possible scheduling of this drug.”
“Health Canada continues to monitor the available evidence to determine whether the scheduling of xylazine under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act may be warranted,” said spokesperson Charlaine Sleiman.
What have other jurisdictions done?
At least nine U.S. states and the United Kingdom have classified xylazine as a controlled substance or created new penalties criminalizing its abuse.
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The Conservatives called for xylazine to be scheduled as a controlled substance more than a year ago.
“I just don’t understand why the Liberals are not acting on this.”
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says the new Strong Borders Act, which is making its way through the Senate, will give the federal government more enforcement tools.
“I’m absolutely confident that as the bill passes, we will have greater flexibility and greater speed in which these listings can take place in real time,” he told reporters Wednesday.
Concerns about animal welfare
Xylazine is used to sedate large animals like cattle and horses. Its presence in fentanyl has fuelled a debate about how to prevent its abuse, while protecting its legitimate veterinary use as a pain reliever.
“While we’re concerned about public safety, we are also concerned about animal welfare,” Canadian Veterinary Medical Association president-elect Kathleen MacMillan told Global News.
“We don’t have a lot of options, especially in cattle,” she said. “It is essential that we are able to have access to these drugs.”
Where are ‘tranq’ and other substances coming from?
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Veterinarians typically administer xylazine to animals in liquid form. It’s showing up in street drugs as powder.
American law enforcement agencies have pointed to China as the main supplier.
The U.S. Department of Justice has accused Chinese chemical companies of manufacturing the fentanyl, precursor chemicals and adulterants like xylazine that wind up in the United States and Mexico.
Because xylazine is not an opioid, naloxone, a medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses, does not counter the sedative’s effects.
Canadian public health experts warn that another, more potent animal tranquillizer is appearing in street drugs, in many cases replacing xylazine altogether.
New animal sedative emerges
The drug, medetomidine, has been linked to a rise in overdoses in British Columbia and Ontario. While the number of fatal opioid overdoses has fallen in Canada, the introduction of animal sedatives is creating more unpredictability in the country’s drug crisis.
“People become agitated, develop very high blood pressure and heart rates, and the withdrawal is difficult to manage. In some cases, it requires hospitalization or ICU admission.”
Lysyshyn said medetomidine has been detected in as much as 50 per cent of opioid samples in British Columbia.
Toronto’s Drug Checking Services, one of the few programs in Canada that analyzes the makeup of illicit drugs, has seen a massive spike, detecting medetomidine in up to 80 per cent of fentanyl samples.
It is not clear why drug traffickers are shifting to medetomidine, though some suspect tighter regulations on xylazine in the U.S. could be a factor.
“A game of whack-a-mole does happen,” Lysyshyn said.
“A contaminant appears in the drug supply, regulators move to restrict it, and then producers simply switch to another substance.”
— with files from Sergio Vargas and Jillian Piper
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