Skip to content

Xylazine, the animal tranquilizer contaminating Philly’s opioid supply, causes serious wounds and withdrawal that many providers don’t know how to treat

“Tranq,” as it’s known on the street, is wreaking havoc among people who use opioids in Philadelphia.

Jen Shinefeld, a volunteer, cleans the wound on the arm of Nick Gallagher at Savage Sisters, an outreach organization based in Kensington, in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. The staff at Savage Sisters help treat xylazine wounds and help people through withdrawal.
Jen Shinefeld, a volunteer, cleans the wound on the arm of Nick Gallagher at Savage Sisters, an outreach organization based in Kensington, in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. The staff at Savage Sisters help treat xylazine wounds and help people through withdrawal.Read moreHeather Khalifa / Staff Photographer