Health officials and law enforcement agencies across the country are raising alarms about an emerging synthetic opioid that is believed to be up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl.
The drug is known as cychlorphine, but is scientifically referred to as N-propionitrile chlorphine.
Because of its extreme potency, even very small doses of cychlorphine are potentially lethal. Officials said it has been linked to a growing number of overdose deaths and is being found in other illicit drugs.
Another major concern is that it requires multiple doses of naloxone, known by the brand name Narcan, to try and reverse an overdose.
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The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) San Francisco Field Division has identified the drug in cases around Northern California, according to a local ABC-affiliate.
In eastern Tennessee, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center noted that cychlorphine had been detected in 41 deaths across its 23-county service area as of early April.
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Citing "reports," the Knox County Regional Forensic Center claimed that officials believe cychlorphine originated in China in 2024 and quickly moved to Europe before hitting the United States in late 2024 where it possibly first appeared in Florida.
The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education said it was first detected in mid-2024 and has been showing up in toxicology reports from at least eight states and several Canadian provinces.
