She found her son dead from ‘fake fentanyl.’ Now an Oklahoma mom is sounding the alarm as deaths rise across the US
The Independent • • health
Key Points:
- Jake Scoufos, an 18-year-old from Oklahoma, died from an overdose involving a newly identified synthetic opioid called cychlorphine, which was detected in his toxicology report three months after his death.
- Cychlorphine is up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl, difficult to detect with standard drug tests, and has been linked to at least 55 deaths across 13 U.S. states, prompting urgent public health warnings.
- The drug likely originates from China and enters the U.S. through Canada or Europe, often unknowingly sold or consumed as fentanyl or other substances, complicating efforts to control its spread.
- Experts and officials highlight the challenges in tracking cychlorphine-related deaths due to varying state lab capabilities and limited toxicology testing, with a concerning rise in cases among younger adults.
- Malisa Hepner, Jake’s mother, has publicly shared her son’s story to raise awareness and prevent further deaths, with authorities crediting her efforts for increasing attention to the emerging opioid threat.
