Fears new wave of US opioids heading to UK

AMERICA’S zombie-drug nightmare is heading for the UK unless the Government takes urgent action, a leading think tank has warned.

- David Williamson

A new generation of hard drugs is ravaging communities in the US and the Centre for Social Justice fears this crisis is in “danger of washing up on our shores”.

Andy Cook, chief executive of the CSJ, said: “Unless the Government wakes up fast, these new synthetic drugs such as tranq risk turning parts of Britain into a zombie nation.”

In April, the White House designated tranq – which combines the animal tranquiliser xylazine and the opioid fentanyl – as “an emerging threat to the United States”.

It is known as a zombie drug because of the debilitating impact on users, who can also suffer flesh-eating sores on their skin. Experts from King’s College London this year warned the “public health threat has now expanded to the UK”.