CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)– Xylazine is a horse tranquillizer that has seen a rapid growth in use by addicts as it is being mixed with heroin and fentanyl.

The effects can be deadly as it does not respond to naloxone, an antidote for opioid overdose, because it is not an opioid. For those who don’t die, a physical side effect is rotting skin, giving it the nickname “the zombie drug.”

The 22News I-Team continues to look into the dangers of this latest street drug and what’s being done to counter its effects to a users physical health.

Watch 22News I-Team reporter Alanna Flood’s report on xylazine’s physical health dangers, Thursday on 22News at 6pm.