Pappas Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation to Crack Down on Deadly Xylazine

Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined a bipartisan group of Senate and House colleagues in reintroducing the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. This bipartisan legislation would make xylazine a Schedule III controlled substance while protecting access for veterinarians.

Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is an easily accessible veterinary tranquilizer that is being used as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl. Since it is not an opioid, its effects cannot be reversed by naloxone. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has designated fentanyl combined with xylazine as an “emerging threat.” This bipartisan legislation would schedule this dangerous drug and give law enforcement the tools they need to go after traffickers while protecting access for veterinarians, farmers, cattlemen, and ranchers who use xylazine to treat large animals.

“As we continue to see xylazine being mixed with fentanyl, heroin, and other deadly drugs, we must take action to crack down on dealers who are cutting drugs with this substance that worsens the life-threatening impacts of fentanyl,” said Congressman Pappas. “This legislation would track the manufacture of xylazine, which is legally used as an animal tranquilizer, and ensure law enforcement has the resources needed to crack down on illegal drug traffickers. I hope that this legislation will be swiftly brought to the floor for a vote, and I’ll continue working across the aisle, and alongside law enforcement and public safety experts, to craft comprehensive solutions that will help combat our ongoing addiction epidemic.”

The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would:

• Schedule xylazine as a Schedule III illicit substance under the Controlled Substances Act; 
• Ensure veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers can still use the drug for its intended purpose by creating a clear definition of “ultimate user” – someone lawfully permitted to possess a controlled substance for legitimate use;
• Enable the DEA to track its manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market; and
• Require a report on prevalence, risks, and recommendations regarding xylazine.

Pappas introduced this legislation alongside Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), August Pfluger (TX-11), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Deborah Ross (NC-02), and Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05). Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) have reintroduced companion legislation in the Senate. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act previously passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill is endorsed by 39 state attorneys general, major law enforcement organizations, and veterinary organizations.