Officials in northwest Indiana are warning the public of a rise in fatal overdoses which may be linked to a potent synthetic opioid.
That opioid, known as “Cychlorphine,” has been detected in multiple regions around the U.S., including the Chicago area, according to the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
The substance may be “significantly more potent than fentanyl,” according to the office, and could be behind a recent rise in fatal overdoses.
According to the coroner’s office, the substance may not be detected on test strips designed to test medications for fentanyl, and it may also be resistant to Narcan, requiring multiple doses of the treatment that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
The drug may be found in powder form, or could be mixed with other substances like heroin or methamphetamine. It could also be present in counterfeit pills, according to the alert.
According to the Addiction Center, at least 16 deaths have been tied to the drug in Tennessee’s Knox County, with researchers warning that the drug dramatically increase overdose risk.
