LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A powerful synthetic drug that has already caused overdose deaths in eastern Tennessee has now been detected in central Kentucky, prompting officials to raise the alarm.
State homeland security officials discovered the drug, known as cychlorphine, in central Kentucky. The synthetic opioid is approximately 10 times stronger than fentanyl and poses a significant challenge to harm reduction efforts in the region.
John Moses, harm reduction team leader at the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, said the drug has a long history — but never reached consumers through legitimate channels.
"So this drug originally was patented in 1960, so it's been around a really long time, but it never made it to the market. One possible reason is it was just too powerful for human consumption," Moses said.
Like most street drugs, cychlorphine is often mixed with other substances, including cocaine and methamphetamine. It can also appear in many forms. Moses said the drug has been found in Toronto pressed into pills designed to look like Percocet.
Moses said the substances found mixed into street drugs continue to grow more dangerous and varied.
"There are things like plasticizers being found in the drugs and things like veterinary medicines like — you may have heard of zylozene or metacomadine," Moses said.
Dr. Steve Davis, medical director for the LFUCG Health Department, said the evolution of synthetic drugs is driven by those who manufacture and sell them.
"Drug dealers realize, 'oops, we can make something a little stronger for you. And you can go to the next step.' And then, 'oh, we can make something even stronger for you,'" Dr. Davis said.
Officials are currently uncertain whether Narcan — the overdose-reversing medication — is fully effective against cychlorphine. However, Moses said anyone who suspects an overdose should administer Narcan immediately.
"Since it is a synthetic opioid we hope it will work, but the potency of it may require more doses than we would normally give," Moses said.
Davis encouraged anyone struggling with addiction to seek help.
"We're here at the health department to help individuals the best we can realize the impact of substance use disorder they have and treat them with compassion so they realize what we want to do is ultimately help them into recovery," Dr. Davis said.
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has Narcan or naloxone and drug test strips available at its harm reduction program on Newtown Pike. Anyone who suspects an overdose should call 9-1-1 immediately.
