Cychlorphine Overdose Calls Surge in Austin as Nationwide Deaths Rise
Austin EMS recorded 98 opioid overdose calls in the past 30 days, many requiring multiple Narcan doses, as the synthetic drug cychlorphine spreads across the U.S.
In Austin, Texas, emergency services documented 98 opioid overdoses over the previous 30 days, up from 73 in the same period last year, and nine of those cases required more than two Narcan administrations. Although the EMS does not differentiate opioid types during treatment, cychlorphine-related overdoses are known to need multiple antidote doses. The synthetic opioid, estimated to be up to ten times more potent than fentanyl, has been detected in multiple states since its first U.S. appearance in Florida in April 2024.
Tennessee currently leads in confirmed cychlorphine fatalities, while nationwide deaths linked to the drug total at least 55 between 2025 and early 2026. Experts warn that its potency and frequent mixing with fentanyl make detection difficult, raising concerns of a new wave of opioid deaths. Internationally, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime reported cychlorphine in 10 countries, 182 seizures, and 78 postmortem cases, and noted its presence in 17 countries as of September 1.
Why it matters
The spread of a highly potent synthetic opioid threatens to intensify the opioid crisis and overwhelm emergency response systems.
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