(AP) — The South Dakota House passed a bill Wednesday that would make xylazine, an animal sedative that is being mixed with fentanyl and then used by some people, a controlled substance. The measure, which passed unanimously in the Republican-held House and now goes to the Senate, would establish penalties of up to two years in prison and fines of up to $4,000 for possession and use of xylazine. Xylazine in humans can cause health problems including difficulty breathing, dangerously low blood pressure, a slowed heart rate, wounds that can become infected and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last year the Office of National Drug Control Policy designated the combination of fentanyl and xylazine as an “ emerging threat.”The South Dakota Health Department and Republican state Attorney General Marty Jackley brought the bill in South Dakota. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesPolice are encountering xylazine in the state, mainly in Sioux Falls, he said.

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Persons: PIERRE, S.D, Marty Jackley, Jackley, they've, ” Jackley Organizations: South Dakota House, Republican, Centers for Disease Control, of National Drug Control, South Dakota Health Department Locations: South Dakota, Sioux Falls