Xylazine is a significant drug used by veterinarians specializing in the care of large animals such as horses, cattle, and deer as it provides needed pain relief. Despite this usefulness, as often happens with legal drug supplies, illicit uses become commonplace and result in unintended consequences—in this case, devastating ones. In our new peer reviewed article we examine the current state of the science as pertains to xylazine and the various uses of the illicit supply line, as well as exploring possible answers to directions the substance use disorder field may have at their disposal to address this ever-mounting set of calamitous circumstances. In addition, we provide possible directions on what next steps may be appropriate to address these multiple dangers.

We invite you to read and share the paper with your colleagues.

The Real Deal: A Commentary and Examination of Xylazine Use and Unintended Consequences