Rep. Josh Harder (CA-9) has called on the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to provide clear steps for how the agency plans to deal with xylazine-laced fentanyl and to clearly communicate those steps to local law enforcement, first responders, and public health departments. In April, Rep. Harder demanded more resources from the DEA for fighting the growing spread of xylazine in street drugs like fentanyl. Earlier this month, the White House Office of Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released an all-of-government plan to address the threat of this ‘zombie drug.’

“The opioid crisis is changing and becoming more deadly, and we need to do everything we can to get law enforcement and first responders who are on the frontlines the tools they need to keep up,” said Rep. Harder. “Fentanyl is now the leading cause of opioid-related overdose deaths, and this new ‘zombie drug’ xylazine is making it even deadlier. Xylazine is a drug meant for veterinarians to sedate horses – no human being should be consuming or injecting it, ever. We need to get local law enforcement the tools they need to get this ‘zombie drug’ off our streets and first responders need clear guidance for how to respond to this crisis.”