U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody is backing a bill increasing regulations of the animal tranquilizer xylazine, which authorities say is being added to fentanyl and making the drug more potent.
Moody is co-sponsoring the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. The measure, Moody said, would classify xylazine as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act. The designation would stipulate that the drug has a low to moderate potential for addiction for humans. At the same time, it would also remain legal for veterinary applications and medicinal use.
The drug is a powerful substance used mainly for veterinary applications. But xylazine is also being added to fentanyl to extend its effects.
“As the former Florida Attorney General, I was one of the first to warn Floridians about the dangers of xylazine — a dangerous substance intended for veterinary use for large animals, that is being found mixed in with illicit fentanyl powder. I’m proud to continue this fight in the U.S. Senate by cosponsoring the Combatting Xylazine Act to keep Floridians safe,” Moody said in a press release.
Moody added that in 2023 alone, some 30% of fentanyl powder seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) contained xylazine. That’s a 25% increase from the levels they found in 2022.
Additionally, DEA analysts found a fivefold increase in the xylazine presence in fentanyl tablets since 2020 and a threefold increase in the presence of the drug in fentanyl powder. DEA officials also say they have found xylazine evidence in 49 of 50 states since October 2024.
In addition to the Schedule III classification, the measure would enable DEA officials to track xylazine’s manufacturing and require a report on recommendations for regulating the drug. The bill would also emphasize that veterinarians, farmers and ranchers could still use the tranquilizer for intended purposes on large animals.
As Attorney General in Florida in 2023, Moody called for the DEA to add xylazine, also known as “tranq,” to the federal list of controlled substances.
