HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – An extremely potent illegal drug called cychlorphine is killing people in multiple states, including a teenager in California. Hawaii health officials say it is a matter of time before deaths from the drug happen in the islands.Cychlorphine is an opioid made in a lab that is up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The drug has been detected in California, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Nevada, with deaths hitting double digits in some areas.Earlier this month, San Francisco police announced the arrests of four suspected drug dealers following the death of a 16-year-old who overdosed after taking counterfeit pills laced with cychlorphine.Hawaii officials on alertGary Yabuta, of the Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, said the synthetic opioid was first identified on the East Coast two years ago and crept west. Hawaii is typically two years behind when it comes to drug trends. “Sooner or later, it’s going to be here,” Yabuta said.Yabuta said his agency is working with Honolulu Medical Examiner Dr. Masahiko Kobayashi, who requested that NMS, the toxicology laboratory, put cychlorphine on its red alert list.Dr. James Ireland, of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, said cychlorphine is illegal and dangerous.“We really don’t want people to die, especially young kids who are experimenting with drugs, maybe even for the first time,” Ireland said.Origins of the drugPharmaceutical companies invented a version of cychlorphine in the 1960s in a lab, but it never went to market because it caused respiratory distress. The new street version was first identified in the U.S. in 2024. It is being sold mostly through social media apps, disguised as other drugs like Adderall and oxycodone.Jae Chung, Atlanta DEA special agent in charge, said buying drugs outside of legitimate medical channels is dangerous.“If you’re not getting it from a physician or a legitimate pharmacy you truly are playing Russian roulette with your life,” Chung said.Response to overdosesNaloxone, or Narcan, can reverse an overdose, but medical experts say with a drug this potent, it must be given immediately and one dose usually isn’t enough.“It starts the therapy,” but Ireland said it’s likely not enough to wake up the person. Ireland said the patient needs the injectable form that the paramedics carry.”Ireland said anyone who suspects a narcotic overdose should call 911 and administer Narcan if it’s available.Field drug tests used by law enforcement cannot distinguish cychlorphine from other fentanyl variants, so first responders say there will be a delay before they know it is in Hawaii.Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
