Health officials say a newly identified opioid known as cychlorphine is emerging as a growing concern across Tennessee, prompting renewed warnings about overdose risks and the importance of public awareness.
Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist Justin Cantrell said cychlorphine is part of a growing class of synthetic opioids that are increasingly unpredictable. Cantrell said the new opioid is dangerous as it is more potent than other traditional drugs.
“It’s just another variation of the opiate of, like, fentanyl and any other opiate of, like, your hydrocodone, oxycodone, things like that,” Cantrell said. “But with this, it’s so much stronger, and you never know what it’s going to be in as far as substance-wise.”
According to the Tennessee Department of Health, Cychlorphine has caused an estimated 1,633 fatal overdoses since 2024. Cantrell said it is unknown why Cychlorphine is more potent than fentanyl, but the rise of the opioid is due to its unfortunate demand.
“I think the sad reality is there’s a demand, and fentanyl is what’s led up to that, as well as opiate use, how it started years ago with just prescription opiates, and it’s just grown over time.”
Cantrell said there are over 3,000 analogs of fentanyl coming through the United States, and Tennessee has detected about 27 out of the 3,000. He added that every 24 hours, there’s a new analog that comes through.
“As the information continues to develop… it’s important to avoid sharing data that could be misunderstood,” he said. “This absence of confirmed local data does not mean that the substance is absent in our communities.”
Cantrell said he believes the state will know more about Cychlorphine as time goes on. Cantrell said it is important that awareness is spread about the new opioid.
“I think it’s a top priority just because if we have the information and just the awareness and education, it saves many lives,” Cantrell said.
Cantrell said he encourages people to carry cans of Narcan, as that is the most effective way to reverse a drug overdose. Cantrell encourages that communities reach out ot their regional drug overdose prevention coordinator if they would like to learn more about the opioids that are likely in their community.