Three Fayetteville State University faculty members from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) are being awarded a $200,000 grant from NC Collaboratory to partner with the Cumberland County Department of Public Health (DPH) on Opioid Remediation Research and Evaluation.

Shanhong Luo, Ph.D., James B. Hunt Jr. distinguished professor for psychology, Quienton Nichols, Ph.D., associate dean and associate professor of social work, and Beverly Edwards, Ph.D., associate professor of social work and Master of Social Work Program director at FSU, will engage in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research entitled: Understanding the Role of Xylazine in the Opioid Crisis. These faculty will work with Greg Berry, coordinator of Cumberland-Fayetteville Opioid Response Team with the DPH, to study the role of xylanzine, a sedative approved for veterinary use and known as tranq dope, in the ongoing opioid crisis and contribute to vital remediation efforts.

“This collaboration is a perfect example of the meaningful inter-professional and interdisciplinary work that makes a significant impact on our University and the wider community,” said Mark Kline, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Psychology, in a press release. It underscores the exceptional caliber of our faculty and their commitment to addressing pressing societal issues and making a real difference in the world through rigorous research.”

The presence of xylazine in street drugs and xylazine-related overdose deaths have increased drastically in the United States in recent years, with the largest increase in the South. Street drugs such as fentanyl, heroin and cocaine can be mixed with xylazine and people who use drugs may not be aware of the presence of xylazine. Due to its impact on the opioid crisis, the White House declared fentanyl mixed with xylazine an emerging threat in 2023.

The new project is designed to better understand the prevalence of xylazine and its impact on the local community by surveying people who use drugs and health professionals as well as conducting lab analyses of drug samples. The results impact the opportunity to develop a local response plan to address the crisis.