Maryland — The Maryland Department of Health is warning residents about the growing presence of xylazine in the state’s street drug supply as overdose deaths involving the substance continue to rise. The veterinary sedative, which is not approved for human use, is increasingly being found in combination with fentanyl, significantly increasing the risk of fatal drug interactions. Xylazine, commonly known as “tranq,” causes heavy sedation, slowed breathing, and severe skin ulcerations. It does not respond to naloxone, the standard treatment for opioid overdoses, making it more difficult for first responders to reverse the effects in emergency situations. Health officials report that xylazine has been identified in a growing number of toxicology reports from fatal overdoses across Maryland. In response, the state has launched a public awareness campaign to inform residents of the health risks and encourage caution. The website StopOverdose.maryland.gov/xylazine provides…..