Map Shows Where Cychlorphine-Related Deaths Are Surging Across US
A synthetic opioid able to slip through standard fentanyl test strips is quickly spreading across the country, raising alarm.
Opioid overdose emergency calls have risen significantly in Austin, Texas, as a potent synthetic drug called cychlorphine spreads across the nation. In September, Austin-Travis County EMS logged 98 opioid overdose calls, a 25% increase from the previous year when 73 calls were reported. Most required multiple doses of Narcan, a life-saving medication used to counteract overdoses, indicating the drug's extreme potency.
Cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid 10 times stronger than fentanyl, has been confirmed in fatal overdoses in multiple states, with Tennessee reporting the highest number. The drug's origins trace back to a Belgian lab in the 1960s, but it only gained notoriety in recent years due to its prevalence in illicit drug trafficking. Despite being unapproved for medical use, the recipe for cychlorphine has been publicly available for decades.
The Drug Enforcement Administration warns that cychlorphine is often mixed with fentanyl and counterfeit pills, making detection difficult. Since its first detection in the U.S. in April 2024, cychlorphine has been found in 10 states, with concentrations in the South, Midwest, and Northeast. At least 55 deaths have been linked to the drug nationwide since early 2025.
Knox County, Tennessee, which has more surveillance, has seen 64 deaths linked to cychlorphine between July 2025 and September, but officials believe the drug is present in many more undetected states. Experts warn that cychlorphine's potency makes it a significant threat to the rising rate of drug-related deaths.
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