Federal officials are warning Americans about a dangerous synthetic opioid that may be up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl and is already being found in Texas.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy released a Drug Threat Notice, alerting EMS workers, clinicians, law enforcement, and the public to cychlorphine, a potent synthetic opioid involved in at least 55 deaths across the United States since mid-2025.
ONDCP said Ohio, Texas, and Tennessee have seen the highest concentration of the drug. Tennessee has reported at least 41 deaths involving cychlorphine, according to the agency.
ONDCP DRUG THREAT NOTICE: Cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid involved in at least 55 deaths, has potential to spread across Nation. Read more pic.twitter.com/1fVxMLppYP
— ONDCP (@ONDCP) April 30, 2026
“The American people need to know what we’re up against—synthetic opioids that can take a life in an instant,” Director of National Drug Control Policy Sara Carter said. “We are committed to saving as many lives as possible, and that’s why this Drug Threat Notice is so important—it gets the facts to the people who need them most. Cychlorphine has the potential to kill Americans all across the country, so we’re sounding the alarm before it can take hold.”
What Is Cychlorphine?
Cychlorphine, also known as N-propionitrile chlorphine, belongs to an emerging group of synthetic opioids known as “orphine analogues,” according to the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education.
CFSRE reported in January that it first detected N-propionitrile chlorphine in mid-2024 and that in vitro pharmacology data showed the drug to be approximately 10 times more potent than fentanyl.
ONDCP said testing has identified cychlorphine mixed with fentanyl, methamphetamine, bromazolam, cocaine, and other substances. Officials said testing has also detected the drug on its own.
That makes cychlorphine especially dangerous because users may not know another substance contains it.
Why It Matters In Texas
The warning comes as Texas continues battling the broader synthetic opioid crisis.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Dallas County Health and Human Services and the Recovery Resource Council found that non-fatal opioid overdoses nearly doubled between 2018 and 2023, while fentanyl’s share of opioid-related deaths in the DFW area increased from 11.4% in 2018 to 70.5% in 2022.
The Dallas Express also reported last year that Texas fentanyl deaths dropped 42% from July 2024 through June 2025, marking the first decline after five consecutive years of rising fatalities. From 2019 to 2023, fentanyl-related deaths in Texas surged by more than 600%, claiming more than 7,000 lives.
The new cychlorphine warning shows how quickly the illicit drug supply continues to evolve, even as states report progress against fentanyl.
Overdose Response
ONDCP warned that overdoses involving cychlorphine may require extra doses of naloxone, the overdose-reversal medication commonly sold under the brand name Narcan.
Officials urged anyone who witnesses a suspected overdose to call 911 immediately and seek emergency medical care.
The cychlorphine notice follows another recent federal warning about a dangerous substance entering the illicit fentanyl supply. On April 2, the CDC and ONDCP issued a Health Alert Network Advisory on medetomidine, also known as “rhino tranq,” warning that the drug had entered the illegal drug supply and could cause severe withdrawal symptoms.
Federal officials said they issued the notice to warn first responders, clinicians, law enforcement, and the public before the drug spreads further.
RELATED:
CDC Warns Of Deadly Drug 100 Times More Potent Than Fentanyl
