EXPERTS SAY DANGEROUS ANIMAL TRANQUILIZER BEING USED ACROSS WESTERN PA

Local addiction specialists are warning about the emergence of a powerful animal tranquilizer appearing on the streets of Western Pennsylvania.

Health officials say the drug, medetomidine, poses a serious risk because it does not respond to Narcan and can cause severe withdrawal symptoms. Not approved for human use, the tranquilizer can drastically lower heart rate, slow breathing, and drop blood pressure for hours.

Experts note that the drug is so potent it is commonly used to sedate horses—animals that weigh several hundred pounds more than humans.