Synthetic opioid disguised as prescription pills raises overdose concerns across states.
Health officials across several states are warning the public about a dangerous synthetic opioid connected to a growing number of overdose deaths. The drug, known as cychlorphine or N-propionitrile chlorphine, has been found in fake prescription pills being sold on the street and online. Medical experts said the drug is not approved for medical use in the U.S. and is being produced illicitly before being mixed into other substances or pressed into counterfeit tablets that look like real pain medication.
Federal drug investigators first identified cychlorphine in Florida during the spring of 2024 after testing by a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lab. Since then, reports connected to the drug have spread to multiple states, causing concern among doctors, law enforcement agencies, coroners, and first responders.
Cychlorphine has already been tied to more than 40 overdose deaths in the state of Tennessee alone. Warnings have also been issued in Ohio and Kentucky after officials there began finding the drug in overdose cases as well as in illegal pill seizures. Investigators have now detected the opioid in a growing number of states, including New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Washington, Nevada, California, and Arkansas.
Doctors and public health workers said one of the biggest dangers comes from the appearance of counterfeit pills. The fake tablets are specifically designed to look almost identical to real prescription medications like oxycodone. In many cases, people may believe they legitimate prescription drugs when they are actually consuming a deadly synthetic opioid.
Arkansas officials recently spoke about a case involving a young man who died after taking the dangerous synthetic opioid. According to investigators, white tablets found near the victim looked authentic to first responders at first glance, but lab testing later confirmed the pills were counterfeit and contained cychlorphine. Doctors in the state warned that even a single counterfeit tablet may contain enough synthetic opioid to cause a fatal overdose. Because these pills are produced illegally, there is no quality control, no safe dosage, and no reliable way for buyers to know exactly what they’re taking.
Emergency responders and health officials have warned that overdoses involving cychlorphine may require multiple doses of naloxone (i.e., Narcan) before a person begins breathing normally again. Naloxone is commonly carried by police officers, paramedics, and family members because it can temporarily reverse opioid overdoses. Pulaski County Coroner Gerone Hobbs said public awareness is important as these substances continue spreading into communities. He stated that keeping information hidden from the public could place more lives at risk.
Doctors and investigators said social media and online communication platforms have made it easier for these pills to reach buyers all over the country. Illegal sellers are able to advertise tablets virtually that appear to be prescription medications while hiding the fact that they may contain fentanyl, cychlorphine, or other powerful synthetic opioids. The resemblance often allows the drugs to fly under the radar, making it difficult to identify.
Public health workers continue encouraging families to speak openly about drug safety and the dangers tied to counterfeit pills. Officials are also warning people to never take medications that do not come directly from a licensed pharmacy or healthcare provider. They warned that even part of a fake pill may contain enough synthetic opioid to cause an overdose.
Sources:
Death in Arkansas linked to new opioid that’s stronger than fentanyl
Arkansas death linked to cychlorphine, new opioid stronger than fentanyl
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