WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid reportedly 10 times more potent than fentanyl, has been linked to at least 55 deaths nationally.
  • Tennessee officials associated more than 30 fatal overdoses with cychlorphine since October 2025.
  • The drug may be hidden in illicit substances and counterfeit pills, exposing some people without their knowledge.
  • Standard fentanyl test strips and routine hospital opioid urine screens do not detect cychlorphine.
  • Naloxone can reverse its opioid effects, but multiple or prolonged doses may be required.

A powerful new synthetic opioid reported to be up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl has been connected to dozens of fatal overdoses across the United States. Public health and law enforcement records identify deaths in Tennessee, Illinois, California and Oklahoma.

Tennessee emerged as an early hotspot. In March, the state’s health department announced that more than 30 fatal overdoses had been associated with cychlorphine since October 2025.

An April 2026 notice from the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy cited at least 41 deaths in Tennessee between July 2025 and February 2026. The notice also reported at least 55 deaths nationally.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned that even a very small amount of cychlorphine can cause a person to stop breathing. The danger stems in part from the drug’s extraordinary strength.

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According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, cychlorphine is a novel and unregulated synthetic opioid that activates the same receptors as fentanyl. It can cause profound sedation, slowed or stopped breathing, and death.

The drug is not approved for medical use. Authorities have detected it in illicit drugs and counterfeit pills, creating a risk for people who may not realize they are consuming the opioid.

Nicholas Kardaras, Ph.D., is CEO and chief clinical officer of the New York Center for Living in Manhattan and a clinical professor at Stony Brook Medicine’s School of Social Welfare. He called cychlorphine “the new fentanyl on steroids.”

Kardaras also described cychlorphine as “one of the most potent synthetic opioids” appearing in the illicit drug supply. He said its reported potency marks a startling escalation beyond fentanyl.

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“Fentanyl is about 50 times more potent than morphine or heroin,” Kardaras told Fox News Digital. “Cychlorphine is reportedly up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl — so theoretically, about 500 times more potent than morphine or heroin.”

“This new synthetic drug is making fentanyl look like yesterday's candy,” he added.

People can consume cychlorphine in several forms, according to Kardaras. It may be swallowed as a pill, snorted as a powder, or crushed and administered intravenously.

“The problem has been, in addition to its potency, it's often put in other designer drugs and in counterfeit pills,” he cautioned. “It's a constant battle of keeping up with the latest iterations of new drugs.”

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Some people deliberately seek cychlorphine because of its potency, while others may consume it unknowingly after it has been mixed into another substance. Kardaras also warned that emphasizing a drug’s potency can make it more alluring to some people with addiction.

Although cychlorphine is primarily found as a street drug, Kardaras said it can also be purchased online or through “boutique designer-drug markets.” Younger people may face greater exposure because some are more likely to experiment with drugs or buy counterfeit pills.

“They’re buying something online … and all of a sudden, without knowing it, they’re ingesting fentanyl or another synthetic opioid,” Kardaras said. A fatal overdose can occur at any age.

Naloxone, commonly sold under the brand name Narcan, can reverse the opioid effects of cychlorphine. However, multiple doses or treatment over a longer period may be necessary because of the drug’s potency.

“What used to take one or two doses of Narcan to reverse an overdose may now require five or six doses, based on anecdotal evidence,” Kardaras said. The DEA advises administering naloxone immediately, calling 911 and preparing to provide additional doses.

Detection presents another serious obstacle. Standard fentanyl test strips and routine hospital opioid urine screens do not identify cychlorphine, potentially leaving users and medical teams without a clear indication that the drug is present.

“Most drug tests have very specific chemical structures that they detect in any kind of synthetic or non-synthetic drug, and this new one hasn't quite been baked into the current testing strips,” Kardaras noted.

The central warning is that cychlorphine may be up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl, can escape standard testing and may require repeated naloxone doses. “So it's a triple whammy,” Kardaras said. “It's a constant battle of keeping up with the latest iterations of new drugs.”