Warnings About Powerful New Drug
HONOLULU – A highly potent illegal substance, known as cychlorphine, is reportedly linked to fatalities in several states, including the tragic death of a teenager in California. Health officials in Hawaii are concerned that it’s only a matter of time before similar incidents occur in the islands.
Cychlorphine is a lab-created opioid, boasting strength potentially ten times that of fentanyl, as noted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The substance has been found in various states, including California, Texas, and Pennsylvania, with death tolls rising into the double digits in some regions.
This month, San Francisco police apprehended four individuals suspected of drug dealing following the overdose of a 16-year-old who took counterfeit pills containing cychlorphine.
Hawaii Officials on Alert
Gary Yabuta, part of the Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, explained that this synthetic opioid first emerged on the East Coast about two years ago and has since made its way west. Historically, Hawaii lags about two years behind current drug trends.
“Sooner or later, it’s going to be here,” Yabuta remarked, expressing a sense of inevitability.
His agency is collaborating with Dr. Masahiko Kobayashi, the Honolulu Medical Examiner, to prioritize cychlorphine on the toxicology lab’s red alert list.
Dr. James Ireland, from the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, emphasized the illegality and danger associated with cychlorphine.
“We really don’t want people to die, especially young kids who might be experimenting with drugs for the first time,” Ireland said, perhaps expressing the urgency of the matter.
Origins of the Drug
Cychlorphine was initially developed by pharmaceutical companies in the 1960s but never reached the market due to concerns about causing respiratory issues. The current street version was first detected in the U.S. only last year.
It is often sold through social media platforms, disguised as medications such as Adderall or oxycodone.
Jae Chung, a special agent in charge at the DEA in Atlanta, cautioned against purchasing drugs outside of regulated medical sources.
“If you’re not getting it from a physician or a legitimate pharmacy, you’re truly playing Russian roulette with your life,” Chung warned.
Response to Overdoses
Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, can reverse an overdose, but experts stress that, given the potency of this drug, it must be administered immediately, and usually, a single dose won’t suffice.
“It starts the therapy,” Ireland noted, emphasizing that additional intervention may be needed to revive the individual. He pointed out that patients might require the injectable form that paramedics have.
If someone suspects a narcotic overdose, Ireland urged them to call 911 and use Narcan if available.
Field drug tests currently used by law enforcement are unable to differentiate cychlorphine from other variants of fentanyl. Therefore, first responders warn there will be some delay in confirming its presence in Hawaii.
