VIDEO – DANGER ‘ROUND THE DOOR –
April 7, 2026 – When you’re mixing other drugs like xylazine or medetomidine with fentanyl, that has a compounding effect,” Dickey explained. “It can lead to low blood pressure, shortness of breath, and decreased heart rate.” These effects significantly increase the chances of overdose—particularly among people who may not know what substances they are consuming.
“We’ve submitted samples with medetomidine, with xylazine, and with both,” Dickey said. “That’s a very scary trend when you’re seeing both of those substances—dangerous enough on their own—being mixed in with other drugs.”
St. Louis County Public Health recently reported a sharp increase in positive tests for medetomidine. Officials also noted a rise in non-fatal overdoses potentially linked to the drug, with cases increasing from 49 to 53 in a short period.
Federal agencies, including the CDC and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, are now warning the public about the growing threat.
Dickey said many of the chemicals involved originate overseas.
