The UK government has taken a significant step towards banning xylazine, commonly referred to as the "zombie drug", and 21 other substances by introducing legislation.

This action is part of a broader initiative to address the rising number of deaths linked to drug usage and to disrupt the operations of drug dealing gangs.

Xylazine, a powerful sedative, has been increasingly mixed with opioids such as heroin to extend their effects at a lower cost.

Alarmingly, the drug has also been detected in cannabis vapes.

Its debilitating impact, leaving users immobilised and suffering from persistent skin lesions, has earned it its ominous nickname.

The UK's move to classify xylazine as a Class C drug follows an Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) recommendation.

The decision places the UK ahead of other nations grappling with xylazine misuse, such as the US, Canada and Mexico, where such measures have not yet been implemented.

The legislation targets a total of 22 substances, with six earmarked for Class A control under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act.

The production or distribution of these Class A drugs could result in life imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both.

The list includes new variants of nitazenes - synthetic opioids far more potent than heroin, heightening the risk of accidental overdose.

A newly introduced generic definition of nitazenes aims to thwart drug dealers' attempts to evade UK drug laws by making slight chemical modifications to their products.

The legislative changes are anticipated to take effect late in 2024 or in early 2025, subject to parliamentary proceedings.

UK Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson stated: “One of this new government’s central missions is to make our streets safer, and we will not accept the use of substances that put lives at risk and allow drug gangs to profit from exploiting vulnerable people.

“The criminals who produce, distribute and profit from these drugs will therefore face the full force of the law, and the changes being introduced this week will also make it easier to crack down on those suppliers who are trying to circumvent our controls.”