U.S. Rep Panetta Authors and Introduces Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Crack Down on Xylazine
Monterey, CA – Today, United States Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), August Pfluger (TX-11), Gus Bilirakis (Fl.-12), Ken Buck (CO-04), and Chris Pappas (NH-01) with Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation with to crack down and schedule the highly dangerous sedative causing fatal overdoses nationwide. Rep. Panetta worked closely with his colleagues in Congress and the Senate, agency partners, and outside stakeholders to author this bill that goes after the usage of xylazine, a drug that is an easily accessible veterinary tranquilizer that is being used as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl and other drugs. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently reported 23% of fentanyl powder contained it in 2022. Xylazine causes depressed breathing and heart rate, unconsciousness, necrosis, and even death, and naloxone does not reverse its effects because it is not an opioid.
Despite alarming reports about the rise of xylazine-adulterated fentanyl which has been called “tranq” and the “zombie drug,” federal, state and local law enforcement do not have the tools necessary to effectively track it or crack down on traffickers using it to increase their profits.
The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would address this gap in federal law by:
- Classifying its illicit use under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act;
- Enabling the DEA to track its manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market;
- Requiring a report on prevalence, risks, and recommendations to best regulate illicit use of xylazine;
- Ensuring all salts and isomers of xylazine are covered when restricting its illicit use;
- Declaring xylazine an emerging drug threat.
Xylazine is essential in veterinary medicine with large animals, and while this legislation will help law enforcement crack down on its illicit use, it will also protect access for veterinarians, farmers, cattlemen, and ranchers by protecting the veterinary medicine use of xylazine.
“The recent rise in the illicit use of the combination of xylazine and fentanyl threatens the health and safety of every community. This toxic brew of drugs makes fentanyl, which has taken thousands of lives in California and around the country each year, not just cheaper but deadlier and more addictive,” said Rep. Panetta. “Although xylazine has legitimate uses in agriculture, we need to prevent it from being misused on the streets. My bipartisan, bicameral legislation will provide federal and local law enforcement with better tools to track xylazine, prevent its misuse, prosecute and penalize its illegal traffickers, and, ultimately, help protect our families and communities from the scourge of fentanyl.”
“The drug crisis in our country is becoming more tragic by the day, with drug traffickers turning to veterinary tranquilizer to make drugs more addictive—and more deadly,” said Rep. Pfluger. “I am proud to work with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to crack down on illicit uses of Xylazine while protecting its critical purpose in agriculture and veterinary medicine.”
“Our goal is to save lives and to make sure law enforcement has the tools its needs to respond appropriately to those who are making these deadly concoctions that are killing so many of our neighbors,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “At the same time, we must ensure that those veterinarians who are using xylazine for legitimate purposes have the ability to continue doing so. Our legislation strikes that right balance.”
“Families across Colorado know the true devastation of the opioid epidemic, which has taken too many lives across our country. Ensuring that we add Xylazine, a deadly fentanyl adulterant, to the Controlled Substances Act is critical to saving lives,” said Rep. Buck. “This legislation - supported by both Republicans and Democrats in both chambers of Congress - will give officials the tools necessary to stop this drug before it can cause more damage without debilitating veterinarians and cattle producers who use the substance legally.”
“As we continue to see xylazine being mixed with fentanyl, heroin, and other deadly drugs, it’s critical we take action to crack down on illegal use,” said Rep. Pappas. “This legislation would track the manufacture of xylazine, which is legally used as an animal tranquilizer, and ensure law enforcement has the resources needed to crack down on illegal drug traffickers. I hope that this legislation will be swiftly brought to the House floor for a vote, and I’ll continue working across the aisle, and alongside law enforcement and public safety experts, to craft comprehensive solutions that will help combat our ongoing addiction epidemic.”
“Drug traffickers are going to great lengths to pad their profits with dangerous drugs like tranq, and we need to empower law enforcement to crack down on its spread in our communities,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. “This bipartisan legislation will ensure the DEA and local law enforcement have the tools they need to get tranq off our streets while protecting its important use as a veterinary tranquilizer.”
“Drug overdoses remain unacceptably high as cartels and traffickers continue to flood our nation with deadly and ever-changing poison. We cannot successfully prevent these tragedies with one hand tied behind our back. We must keep pace with the evolving tactics of the drug trade. This bill recognizes the dangers posed by the increasing abuse of animal tranquilizers by drug traffickers, and provides new tools to combat this deadly trend. It also ensures that folks like veterinarians, ranchers and cattlemen can continue to access these drugs for bona fide animal treatment,” said Senator Grassley.
“Xylazine is hurting New Hampshire communities and contributing to the alarming rate of overdose deaths in our state,” said Senator Hassan. “Our bipartisan bill would take important steps to combat the abuse of xylazine by giving law enforcement more authority to crack down on the illicit distribution of this drug, including by putting stiffer penalties on criminals who are spreading this drug to our communities. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle are seeing the impact of this deadly drug in their states, and we will continue working together to move this critical bill forward.”
Xylazine is essential in veterinary medicine with large animals, and while this legislation will help law enforcement crack down on its illicit use, it will also protect access for veterinarians, farmers, cattlemen, and ranchers by protecting the veterinary medicine use of xylazine. This legislation has been endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association, Nevada Cattlemen Association, National Association of Police Organizations, National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California North American Meat Institute, Animal Health Institute, and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.
“The AVMA fully supports this congressional effort to combat illicit xylazine,” said Dr. Lori Teller, AVMA President. “The proposed legislation will equip law enforcement with additional tools to stop xylazine trafficking. We urge Congress to pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act quickly as it strikes the right balance of protecting our communities while preserving veterinary access to this critically important animal drug.”
“Cattle veterinarians and producers must maintain access to xylazine to allow for safe handling of our patients. We are also concerned about the illicit abuse of xylazine in people,” said the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. “This legislation will help to control the illicit use of xylazine, while maintaining access for use of this critical drug in cattle. Responsible medication use in our cattle patients is something that all veterinarians take seriously and we are committed to ensuring the continued appropriate licit use of xylazine in our course of practice.”
“The North American Meat Institute is grateful for the leadership of Congressman Panetta and Senator Cortez Masto for carefully drafting a bill that recognizes the importance of veterinary access to xylazine while providing law enforcement the tools to crack down on its illicit use and keep communities safe,” said Julie Anna Potts, President and CEO of the North American Meat Institute. “We urge Congress to pass the bill to protect our communities.”
“Taking action to support the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act is a necessary step to save lives and protect public health and safety,” said the Peace Officers Reserve Association of California. “Xylazine is a veterinarian-prescribed analgesic and powerful sedative that must be controlled to prevent it from making its way into illicit drugs like fentanyl that are destroying our communities. We stand with Congressman Panetta in support of this crucial legislation.”
“The Animal Health Institute (AHI) is pleased to support the Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act. The proposed Act draws a clear line between the illicit use of xylazine in humans and the licit and important use in veterinary care. It provides the necessary tools and enforcement measures to fight against the trafficking and illicit use, while maintaining access to this important animal drug to protect animal health. We ask Congress to pass this Act quickly to ensure human safety and to keep animals healthy, ” said Alexander Mathews, President & CEO of the Animal Health Institute.
“Xylazine, a common pharmaceutical drug used in animals, has begun contributing to the opioid crisis that plagues our nation’s communities,” said Bill Johnson, Executive Director, National Association of Police Organizations. “A drug that is meant for sedation and anesthesia in horses and cows has followed the trend of fentanyl and is being reported as an additive to illicit drugs. This drug has serious and deadly consequences and there is currently no approved drug to reverse its effects on humans. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act is calling for xylazine to be classified as a Schedule III drug and invoke penalties on those who choose to illicitly use and distribute the drug. We stand with Representatives Panetta, Pfluger, Bilirakis, Buck, and Pappas and applaud their efforts to save countless lives. “
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