Summary
A new synthetic opioid called cychlorphine has been linked to 41 deaths in East Tennessee and has spread to at least nine other U.S. states as well as Europe. The drug is potent, potentially 10 times stronger than fentanyl, and is difficult to detect with standard drug tests.
Key Facts
- Cychlorphine is a synthetic opioid also known as N-Propionitrile Chlorphine.
- It was identified in the toxicology reports of 41 deaths in East Tennessee from July 2025 to February 2026.
- The drug is believed to have first emerged in the U.S. in late 2024, possibly starting in Florida.
- Cychlorphine can be mixed with other illegal drugs and is not easily detected by common drug tests.
- It is thought to be 10 times more potent than fentanyl.
- The drug is not approved for human use.
- The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported 11 cases of cychlorphine detection in 2025 and nine in early 2026, all from East Tennessee.
- Officials believe cychlorphine originated in China and has also spread to Europe.
