Uni of Manchester issues warning over zombie-inducing chemical found in ketamine

The University of Manchester has issued a warning after a chemical that has been turning US drug-users into “zombies” was found in ketamine sold in Britain.

Xylazine, nicknamed “tranq”, has caused drug addicts in Philadelphia and New York to stand frozen to the spot and appear lifeless, as well as hobble around uncoordinated. These effects have led people to draw comparisons to “zombies” in users.

However, a new drug, medetomidine, is 200 times stronger than xylazine and has been blamed by health officials for rising drug overdoses in the US, according to the Daily Mail.

The drug is only approved for specific uses on animals; however, it has been found to have been mixed with street drugs.

The University of Manchester’s warning followed studies by MANDRAKE, the university’s drug testing and harm reduction facility, which found medetomidine in ketamine sold in the UK.

The university said the combination of these substances can cause “extreme and prolonged sedation that may be fatal”.

It can also leave individuals “extremely vulnerable and at risk of sexual assault or robbery.”

Harm reduction advice includes testing ketamine with medetomidine test strips and avoiding using street drugs alone.

⚠️WARNING⚠️ 19 Nov 2025

Multiple samples of ketamine circulating in #Manchester have been confirmed, by our lab, to be contaminated with medetomidine.

The GM Drugs Early Warning System has subsequently issued the following warning.

If unwell please seek medical attention. pic.twitter.com/yTHc6yI7t4

— MANDRAKE (@MANDRAKE_LAB) November 19, 2025

If a friend is impacted by the chemical and has trouble breathing, turns pale or has blue lips, individuals are advised to clear vomit that is blocking the throat, lean their friend’s head back and perform CPR.

The recovery position can also be used in emergency circumstances, and 999 should be called immediately.

According to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics, 4.8 per cent of 20 to 24-year-olds in England and Wales said they took ketamine last year.

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Almost seven per cent of 16-24 year olds have experimented with the drug, and ketamine usage has risen by 85 per cent in just a year between 2023 and 2024.

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