INDIANAPOLIS —The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has issued an alert to the community regarding the emergence of Cychlorphine (also known as N-Propionitrile Chlorphine), a synthetic opioid significantly more powerful than fentanyl. Recently detected in major regional hubs, including Chicago, this substance has been linked to a rising number of fatal overdoses across the Midwest, including Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
Cychlorphine is a “designer drug” that presents unique challenges for families, first responders, and medical professionals due to it’s extreme potency, and the fact it is invisible to test strips. Due to the way this drug binds to the brain, a single dose of Narcan may not be enough to reverse an overdose. Multiple doses are often required to save a life.
Cychlorphine is often hidden in the illicit drug supply and may appear as an off-white, grey, or tan powder, and is frequently pressed to look like legitimate prescription medications. It is commonly mixed into other drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, or “Tranq” (Xylazine) without the user’s knowledge.