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ST. GEORGE — The opioid crisis now faces a deadlier outcome with the rise of xylazine detected in fentanyl increases across the country — including in Utah and Nevada.
According to a statement issued by the Southern Nevada Health District, xylazine was found in recent samples taken from drug paraphernalia during a community surveillance program in Clark County. While xylazine use has not been widely reported in Nevada, there were three overdose deaths in the state last year — up from a single death in 2022.
Xylazine also has been detected in southern Utah.
St. George Police Lt. Johnny Heppler told St. George News that officers have seen an increase in cutting agents such as xylazine in some of the lab test results of seized fentanyl.
