In Depth: Tranq, Fentanyl, Vaping

LOS ANGELES - Hal is joined by Dr. Matt Waxman, UCLA Emergency medicine physician and professor. He talks to us about what the emerging deadly drug Tranq is, and how it is affecting patients they see in the emergency room.

Waxman tells us about the dual threat posed by the drug which is officially known as Xylazine, and was intended to be used as a large animal tranquilizer.

He says that people who overdose on Tranq can’t be revived by Narcan the way patients who overdose on opioids can. He also details a strange side effect of the drug that creates tissue death in patients that can go down to the bone and potentially necessitate amputations.

In segment two, DEA Los Angeles Agent in Charge Bill Bodner joins Hal to talk about the DEA’s battle against Tranq and Fentanyl. Bodner says that while Tranq is emerging in California, it is nowhere near as prevalent as it is on the East Coast.

He says that by mixing Xylazine with Fentanyl, users get a high more like heroin rather than the short-term high of Fentanyl.

Bodner also says that many users don’t realized that their heroin or fentanyl is cut with Tranq and they could be exposed to it unintentionally.

In segment three, Hal is joined by Dr. Susan Walley, Pediatrician and Professor at George Washington University.

She also authored the new policy on vaping from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

She talks to Hal about young people who are increasingly using e-cigarettes, and how dangerous it is for their health.

She says that 1 in 6 high school students and 1 in 20 middle school students are current tobacco users. Walley says that vaping is the most common usage and that presents dangers not only of addiction but also to teens lung and immune health.

She says that more help is available on the American Academy of Pediatrics website at healthychildren.org.