Silver State Times

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s (D-Nev.) bipartisan effort to crack down on xylazine continues to pick up support from across the country, with 39 attorneys general from both parties calling for Congress to pass her Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. In a new letter, attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin are urging Congressional leadership to support Cortez Masto’s legislation and protect American communities from the highly dangerous sedative causing fatal overdoses nationwide.

“Xylazine is a growing danger to communities across our nation. With a record number of overdose deaths, we must confront this new threat,” wrote the attorneys general in the letter. “We agree that Congress must act quickly to classify the illicit use of xylazine under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act provides critical tools that will enable the DEA to track its manufacturing, prevent diversion, and mandate analysis and reporting on the illicit use of xylazine.”

“Attorneys general understand how important this fight is for the safety of our communities, and I will continue working to pass this legislation to give law enforcement the tools they need address this urgent threat,” said Senator Cortez Masto.

Cortez Masto’s Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would:

•    Classify its illicit use under Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act; 

•    Enable the DEA to track its manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market;

•    Require a report on prevalence, risks, and recommendations to best regulate illicit use of xylazine; and

•    Ensure all salts and isomers of xylazine are covered when restricting its illicit use.

Xylazine is essential in veterinary medicine with large animals, and while this legislation will help law enforcement crack down on its illicit use, it will also protect access for veterinarians, farmers, cattlemen, and ranchers by protecting the veterinary medicine use of xylazine. 

Cortez Masto’s legislation has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, American Veterinary Medical Association, Nevada Cattlemen Association, National Association of Police Organizations, National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, North American Meat Institute, Animal Health Institute, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

Senator Cortez Masto has been working to crack down on illicit drugs since she was first elected Attorney General of Nevada, when she worked with Nevada’s Republican governor, law enforcement, and Mexican officials to combat the rise of methamphetamine manufacturing and cross-border drug trafficking. In the Senate, she has authored legislation to combat drug trafficking online that was signed into law, as well as critical legislation to address the opioid epidemic.

Original source can be found here.