The Detection of Xylazine in Tijuana, Mexico: Triangulating Drug Checking and Clinical Urine Testing Data.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Xylazine is a veterinary anesthetic increasingly present alongside illicit fentanyl in the US and Canada, presenting novel health risks. Although xylazine remains less common in the Western US, Mexican border cities serve as key trafficking hubs and may have higher prevalence of novel substances, but surveillance has been limited.

Methods

We examined deidentified records from the Prevencasa harm reduction clinic in Tijuana, describing urine and paraphernalia testing from patients reporting using illicit opioids within 24 hr. Xylazine (two types), fentanyl, opiate, methamphetamine, amphetamine, benzodiazepine, and nitazene test strips were used to test urine and paraphernalia samples. Paraphernalia samples were also analyzed with mass spectrometry.

Results

SUBMITTER: Friedman JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11370493 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature