Biden administration designates xylazine as emerging threat - Roll Call

The Biden administration is designating xylazine an emerging threat to humans as the animal drug becomes increasingly tied to drug overdose deaths.

This is the first time an administration has used this designation after a bipartisan 2018 opioid law granted the authority to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. ONDCP Director Rahul Gupta plans to inform Congress of the new designation Wednesday morning for fentanyl-adulterated xylazine.

Between 2020 and 2021, xylazine overdoses increased 1127 percent in the South, 700 percent in the West, 500 percent in the Midwest and 100 percent in the Northeast.