State Rep. Kelly Breen sitting as chair of the House Judiciary Committee in the Anderson House Office Building in Lansing.
LANSING, Mich., Nov. 13, 2024 — State Rep. Kelly Breen’s (D-Novi) House Bills 5834–35 passed out of the House Judiciary Committee today. The bills outlaw the possession, manufacture and sale of xylazine, exempting health care providers and veterinarians operating within the scope of their employment. Xylazine is a veterinary sedative intended for use in animal prescriptions that has been increasingly detected in illegal drug mixtures that can lead to fatal overdose. After the vote, Breen, who chairs the committee, issued the following statement:
“Xylazine is a dangerous substance that has posed a growing threat to Michiganders’ health over the past few years. Counties across the state reported a 53% increase in fatal overdoses caused by xylazine and fentanyl between 2021 and 2022 alone. We must take action to protect our communities from the serious harm and risk of fatal addiction this drug can bring. I am happy to see my bills providing legal penalties for the spread and usage of this drug voted out of my committee today — this marks a step forward in our mission to crack down on illicit drug use in our state, curbing overdoses and saving lives.”
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