L.A. County Confirms First Death Linked to Cychlorphine, a Synthetic Opioid Stronger Than Fentanyl
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says the county Medical Examiner has identified the synthetic opioid cychlorphine as a cause of a death that occurred in February 2026 — the first confirmation of the drug's presence in the county's illicit drug supply.
Cychlorphine, or N-propionitrile chlorphine, is more potent than fentanyl, and a very small amount can stop a person's breathing, the department said. It cannot be detected by fentanyl test strips and is being mixed into the illicit drug supply without users' knowledge, appearing in powders, counterfeit prescription pills, crystals and liquids. First detected in the United States in 2024, the drug has since been identified in 19 states; California's first linked death was reported in Northern California in April. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration classified chlorphine as a Schedule I controlled substance in August.
Naloxone can reverse overdoses involving cychlorphine, though multiple doses may be necessary, and anyone witnessing an overdose should call 911, the department said. Public Health says it is monitoring the local drug supply for changes in the drug's prevalence.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：纳洛酮注射急救包。图片来源：MohammedLombardia，Wikimedia Commons，CC BY-SA 4.0。Photo: A naloxone injection kit. Image: MohammedLombardia, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
