The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), along with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the Tennessee Department of Health, is warning the public about a highly dangerous drug increasingly showing up in the illicit supply.

Medetomidine, a veterinary anesthetic with extremely strong sedative effects, has recently been detected in Tennessee crime labs and has been linked to overdose spikes in other states, TBI reports. Authorities warn it is often mixed with fentanyl, making it especially hazardous.

“Medetomidine is far more potent than Xylazine and can cause prolonged sedation,” the TBI said in a public safety alert. “We strongly urge everyone to avoid this extremely hazardous and potentially deadly drug.”

Health officials are also urging Tennes

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