In Schenectady, Schumer unveils plan to combat overdose scourge

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SCHENECTADY – Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y, joined with local health and law enforcement officials in Schenectady on Monday to lay out a plan to combat Xylazine, a drug causing a rise in overdose deaths across upstate New York.

After more than 40 overdose deaths were recorded the first weekend of March in Syracuse, with some tied to Xylazine, Schumer said the tide must be stopped before the drug sweeps across the Capital Region and beyond.

He spoke during an event at the Schenectady Fire Station No. 1 on Veeder Avenue.

“We all know what a dangerous scourge fentanyl has been in our region and across the country,” Schumer said. “It’s been a scourge here in the Capital Region and we hate it. But now we’re seeing a new type of drug that’s being mixed with fentanyl which could make things even worse. It’s hard to believe things could be even worse when you’re talking about fentanyl, but this new drug can.”

Xylazine is intended to be used as a tranquilizer for large animals, but has been repurposed as a street drug.

Schumer said that when injected, the drug can cause severe wounds to the skin and bones, with infections sometimes leading to lost limbs.

“It’s turning the opioid crisis here in the Capital Region into a complete nightmare,” he said. “The new drug is called Xylazine and it’s a deadly, skin-rotting zombie drug commonly known as ‘Tranq’ on the streets. It’s bringing a horrific wave of drug overdoses and deaths to upstate New York.”

Schenectady County Director of Public Health Keith Brown noted during the event that in 2022 there were 57 overdose cases in the county related to fentanyl, with seven confirmed cases tied to a combination of fentanyl and Xylazine. Brown said the county has recorded nine fatalities so far in 2023 that involve fentanyl.

Schumer said his three-pronged plan to fight the spread of Xylazine includes petitioning the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to accelerate its operations to track down illicit sources of Xylazine, bolstering the federal COPS Hiring Program with nearly $537 million in new funds to help stop drug trafficking and adding funds to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, including grants that can be used to fund testing infrastructure for Xylazine.

Because Xylazine is not an opioid, the anti-overdose medication Narcan does not combat the effects of the drug, as Narcan does not have the ability to reverse a deep sedation caused by Xylazine.

Brown noted that opioids such as fentanyl can still be treated with Narcan, even if the drugs are laced with Xylazine.

“If it’s a suspected overdose, use Naloxone and call 911,” Brown said following Monday’s event. “Make sure you stay with the person, because even though Naloxone doesn’t work on Xylazine directly, because we know it’s being mixed in the supply with opioids, the Naloxone will work on the opioids and in most cases will still impact the overdose to keep someone alive.”

Schumer said when he meets with constituents across the state the opioid epidemic continues to be a major priority for New York residents.

“When you talk to folks here in the Capital Region, in New York state and around the country, the opioid crisis is way at the top of the list,” he said.

Everyone knows someone who has lost a loved one, a family member or friend who has suffered from addiction. We need to do a lot more and that’s why putting a lot more money both into law enforcement and treatment, as well as stopping it at the border, is the only way to go.”

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said his department has identified Xylazine in fentanyl seized in the county, with multiple deaths in Fulton County tied to Xylazine overdoses.

“Xylazine is one of those drugs that has a legitimate purpose in the veterinarian world and unfortunately it has an unintended consequence,” he said during the press conference. “It’s very inexpensive and it’s very accessible. It’s being shipped over here every day from China and usually shipped down to the cartels in Mexico and smuggled back into our country after it’s been packed into either a pill, powder or vial.”

Apple said the department has been tracing Xylazine since 2020, but noted that the drug is difficult to test for, making the task of identifying its presence in opioids a difficult proposition.

Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy said the city administration has established programs to help assist those struggling with drug addiction.
“Like every other community upstate and across the country, we are concerned about the scourge of opioid addiction,” McCarthy said. “My administration has created the Schenectady Cares network so that our first responder agencies can assist the community members they come in contact with in getting treatment for addictions. We appreciate Senator Schumer’s efforts to try and stem the tide of Xylazine, a somewhat new and troubling drug that presents new challenges for our communities.”

Schenectady Police Chief Eric Clifford said the police agency must be nimble to deal with an ever-evolving variety of drugs on the streets.

“We’ve become accustomed to it that once we get a handle on one drug, another one pops up,” he said following the press conference. “So the target’s always moving, but that’s what we do. That’s why we engage with the community, we know what’s going on out there and we work hard behind the scenes to stop the things that are harmful to the community.”

Laura Combs, the executive director of Schenectady’s New Choices Recovery Center, said the center has assisted multiple clients with history of Xylazine use.

“In our clinics we are starting to see participants with infections most likely related to Xylazine,” she said. “The impact of these infections on top of struggling with the other physical effects of opiate and fentanyl use including withdrawal and overdose among many others is devastating to an already very vulnerable population.”

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