A proposal co-sponsored by State Senator Patrick Joyce to combat the spread of Xylazine, a dangerous synthetic drug, passed the Illinois Senate on Wednesday.

Senate Bill 1773, backed by the Illinois State Police, would classify Xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance, increasing penalties for possession and distribution.

Xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer also known as “tranq,” has increasingly been found mixed with opioids such as fentanyl. Xylazine-related overdose deaths in Illinois rose sharply from two in 2018 to 155 in 2021, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Joyce cited a surge in overdoses in his district and emphasized the urgency of legislative action. The bill now heads to the House.