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There’s been growing attention to a new chemical in the illicit drug supply: N-Propionitrile Chlorphine, also known as cychlorphine. On top of being more potent than fentanyl, it’s also extremely hard to detect on toxicology tests. Currently, all deaths attributed to cychlorphine have been identified in the East Tennessee region around Knoxville, but experts believe it is in more areas already—we just haven’t been able to identify it. 

Cychlorphine is an excellent example of why staying on top of new drug trends can be so challenging. This month, I am joined by Chris Thomas of the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, Dr. Shravani Durbhakula of Vanberbilt University Medical Center and Adam Gray of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to discuss the challenges of these new drugs from forensic, clinical and law enforcement perspectives. 

In this conversation we talk about several of the newer drugs in the supply, the technological and logistical limitations of testing for drugs and, of course, the policy options that could make this problem a little better. 

Learn more:

• CFSRE Summary of N-Propionitrile Chlorphine 
• Importance of Naloxone with Cychlorphine
• Knox County Regional Forensic Center
• Dr. Shravani Durbhakula