New ‘Zombie’ drug causes scare in Liberia
Liberian authorities have expressed concern about the emergence of a hard drug called Xylazine also known as “Zombie” on the Liberian market.
Zombie which is reportedly more harmful than other illicit drugs was discovered and impounded by a team from the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).
The drug, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, has been reported as an additive in an increasing number of illicit drug mixtures and is accountable for many overdose deaths.
Liberia which has in recent times been battling with the influx of illicit drugs including Kush has launched investigations to find out the origin of the drug which is new on the market.
Executive Director of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) Col. Abraham Kromah told local media Global News Network that efforts are being made to trace and arrest traffickers of the drugs in the country.
“Thank God we have a little bit of funding now, to interact with the folks; we are now going on the defensive, we already laid the groundwork on what we intend to do. We now know where and how and who to look for, that’s the good thing about it”, he was quoted.
The non-opiate sedative, analgesic, and muscle relaxant is only authorised in the United States for veterinary use according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but it is widely used globally as a hard drug.
It results in disfiguration in people, and in some cases, may result in amputation, hence its name.
