The story of drugs in many states of India is old, but it takes a new shape every time. Earlier, snake poison, silochon, charas and ganja were less, but now zombie drugs have arrived. It transforms a person into an effigy in 2 hours and takes him to death’s door. Its latest case was seen in Chandigarh. This drug was discovered in America, the effect of which has gone viral in India also. How dangerous is the new drug zombie drug? Has it reached India? Why is there a new ‘zombie’ in the abundance of drugs? Let us understand in the explainer…
Question 1: How different is zombie drug and why is it discussed in India?
answer: Zombie drug is not a new chemical, but is a mixture made by mixing Xylazine, used in animal medicine, with the very powerful opioid Fentanyl. Xylazine is actually used to calm horses and cows, but on the street it is mixed with drugs and sold so that the intoxication lasts longer. In America it is called ‘Tranc’ or ‘Tranc Dope’.
In March 2026, the video of Blinkit delivery boy in Sector 33B, Chandigarh went viral. He had a beedi stuck in his mouth and his eyes were open, but he remained standing straight for 2 hours. People got scared and called the police and it became a trend on social media. #ZombieDrug.
Question 2: How does zombie drug affect the body?
answer: Xylazine suppresses the chemical norepinephrine in the brain. When it is injected or taken directly, it:
- Breathing slows down, heart beat slows down and the muscles become completely loose.
- The person remains standing or sitting ‘frozen’ for hours, that is, eyes open, but no reaction.
- Due to prolonged use the skin starts rotting and wounds are also formed.
- Overdose can also lead to death due to respiratory arrest.
- Even the overdose medicine naloxone does not have full effect on it.
The same symptoms were seen on a delivery boy in Chandigarh.
Question 3: So has zombie drug reached India?
answer: There is no official confirmation yet that it has spread in India, but after watching the Chandigarh video, people are linking it to this. The Chandigarh case is the only viral case so far. There has been no major outbreak or lab confirmation. The problem of opioids is old in Punjab.
In 2025, ANTF Punjab seized 119 kg of heroin in 69 cases. According to MHA data, thousands of cases were registered under NDPS in Punjab in 2025, but the mixture of Xylazine has not been reported yet. Experts are saying that if smuggling routes come from Pakistan border then Punjab-Chandigarh will be affected first.
Question 4: How many categories of drugs are there in the world and how do they affect?
answer: The problem of drugs is decades old and its category has been changing with time. Talking about drugs used on a large scale:
- Charas and Ganja: These are the oldest and most common categories, which have been running for decades. They give mild intoxication, but with prolonged use they cause damage to the lungs. Memory becomes weak and mental health is adversely affected. They have often been used as an everyday or social drug.
- Silochana: Punjab has its own local sedative mixture. A cocktail of sedatives such as benzodiazepines is often added to it. Its effect is to induce intense drowsiness and deep sleep. Due to it being cheap and easily available, it spread rapidly among the youth.
- snake venom: One of the strangest and most dangerous categories, which was reported around 2012. At least 13 cases are registered in PubMed (2022) and Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine (IJFM), which came from areas like Mumbai, Ranchi, Chandigarh, Bangalore etc. The young snake was injected with a chemical and the poison was applied on the tongue or swallowed. This causes mood swings, lethargy, feeling high and sometimes even death. According to a research published in the Journal of Indian Society of Toxicology (JIST), this drug has become a trend in rave parties in search of novelty and adventure. This trend was especially seen in India.
- Pharmaceutical opioids and heroin (chitta/smack): This includes misuse of both pharmacy-available drugs like tramadol and codeine and heroin (brown sugar/smack). Heroin comes from the Golden Crescent root. They give strong intoxication but get addicted quickly and there is a risk of death due to overdose.
- Inhalants: Inhaling cheap substances like glue, paint thinner, solvent etc. These are mainly seen in children and teenagers. It causes instant intoxication, but causes permanent damage to the brain and lungs.
Another category has been added to this – zombie. Its raw material is easily available in medical stores, due to which the drug is being sold for a long time.
Question 5: Earlier these drugs were less, but now the new zombie drug has come?
answer: According to the reports of Punjab Opioid Dependence Survey and AIIMS, more than 30 lakh people in Punjab are dependent on some drug or the other. Heroin is continuously coming from routes of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Dealers are mixing old drugs with new ones, so that the intoxication lasts longer and is cheaper.
Snake poison was a low-level trend, silochana was a local level, hashish-ganja was an everyday thing, while pharma opioids and heroin remained a problem on a large scale. Zombie drug came into discussion because Xylazine is very cheap and available.
The Punjab government is now starting the first comprehensive drug and socio-economic census from April 2026, in which 28,000 employees will survey 65 lakh families. Its objective is not just to know the number of addicts, but to focus on targeted rehabilitation by understanding the income, education and social status of the affected people.
The old drugs have not diminished, rather the problem is becoming more complex. Due to unemployment, mental stress and border routes, new combinations are coming among the youth. Zombie drug is a new form of this, which not only gives intoxication but also makes one look scary.