In her first session as a state legislator, State Rep. Jennifer Meltzer (R-Shelbyville) successfully authored a new law to track whether a dangerous street drug that's sweeping the country is resulting in overdose deaths in Indiana.  

Meltzer said that xylazine, also known as the street drug "tranq," is a veterinary sedative used in livestock surgeries but has been found in a growing number of overdose deaths across the United States.

"We are seeing more overdose deaths being linked to xylazine and this bill can help us track it's prevalence, and ultimately develop strategies to combat it and save lives," Meltzer said. "Many users may not know this veterinary sedative is being mixed with more common street drugs, and that it's not responsive to overdose reversal medications."

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, xylazine is a central nervous system depressant that can cause drowsiness and amnesia, and slow breathing, heart rate and blood pressure to dangerously low levels. Repeated xylazine use is also associated with skin ulcers, abscesses and related complications.
She said xylazine is being mixed with other dangerous substances, like fentanyl and other illicit opioids. Because the drug is not an opiate, overdose reversal medication like Naloxone or Narcan are less effective. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, xylazine-related overdose deaths in the Midwest increased by more than 500% from 2020 to 2021. Additionally, DEA forensic labs have identified the sedative 370% more across the United States in 2021 compared to 2020.

Meltzer's legislation, unanimously supported at every point in the process, will task coroners with testing for any trace of xylazine in suspected and known drug overdose deaths. This includes if the victim was resistant to reversal medications. She said the data gathered from these reports will help Indiana get a clear picture of the drug's presence in the state and begin to form an action plan.

House Enrolled Act 1286, which is Meltzer's first law to have enacted, will go into effect July 1.

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