41 Attorneys General Urge Congress to Crack Down on Illicit Xylazine

‘The United States has seen a rise in xylazine being used to cut fentanyl and heroin and distributed as a recreational drug,’ Arkansas attorney general said.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin speaks at a news conference in downtown Little Rock, Ark., on Sept. 30, 2024. AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo

A bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general is urging Congress to pass legislation to combat the abuse of xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer used as an adulterant that makes fentanyl even more lethal.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announced on April 1 that the attorneys general reached out in a March 31 letter to congressional leadership to encourage lawmakers to approve the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, legislation introduced in the Senate (S.545) and the House (H.R.1266) in February 2025. Currently, more than 100 lawmakers from both parties have signed on as co-sponsors.