Cychlorphine, opioid 10x stronger than fentanyl, spreads in the US

The synthetic opioid cychlorphine, up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl, has been officially linked to more than 40 fatal overdoses in the US over two years. It has appeared in nearly 200 drug seizures across 10 countries and is blamed for at least 78 deaths, with no standardized rapid test yet available.

• Cychlorphine was first identified two years ago by the US Center for Forensic Science Research and Education
• Linked to 40+ US deaths and at least 78 worldwide
• Detected in nearly 200 seizures across 10 countries
• Naloxone does not fully block its effects; multiple doses may be needed