Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is calling on Congress to pass legislation targeting the growing use of xylazine, a dangerous drug increasingly linked to overdose deaths.
In a letter to congressional leaders, Drummond joined a coalition of 41 attorneys general urging passage of the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, which would classify xylazine as a controlled substance.
“Xylazine is a dangerous and growing threat that is taking more lives every day,” Drummond said. “Congress must act now to give law enforcement the tools needed to combat this deadly drug and protect our citizens from harm.”
Xylazine, often referred to as “tranq,” is a veterinary tranquilizer used for large animals and is not approved for human use. Officials say it is increasingly being mixed with opioids like fentanyl, raising the risk of overdose.
Because xylazine is not an opioid, its effects cannot be reversed by naloxone, complicating emergency response efforts and increasing the likelihood of fatal outcomes.
The attorneys general argue that classifying xylazine as a controlled substance would allow federal authorities to better track its production and distribution, prevent illegal diversion, and require reporting that could help law enforcement respond more effectively.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration would be responsible for monitoring the drug under the proposed changes.
The push comes as the Senate Judiciary Committee recently advanced the legislation with bipartisan support.
Drummond joined attorneys general from more than 40 states and U.S. territories in signing onto the letter, highlighting what they describe as a growing nationwide threat tied to illicit drug use.
