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New potent street drug prompts Hawaii health alert
Hawaii News Now • • health
Key Points:
- Cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl, is causing multiple deaths across several U.S. states, including a recent overdose death of a 16-year-old in California.
- Hawaii health officials warn that cychlorphine will likely appear in the islands soon, as drug trends typically reach Hawaii about two years after emerging on the mainland.
- The drug, originally developed in the 1960s but never marketed due to respiratory risks, is now sold illicitly via social media, often disguised as other prescription drugs like Adderall or oxycodone.
- Naloxone (Narcan) can reverse cychlorphine overdoses but requires immediate administration and multiple doses due to the drug’s extreme potency; emergency responders emphasize calling 911 if an overdose is suspected.
- Law enforcement’s field drug tests cannot currently distinguish cychlorphine from other fentanyl variants, complicating timely detection and response efforts in affected areas like Hawaii.
