PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY: Attorney General Alan Wilson warns public about deadly new synthetic drug
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Lexington, SC 04/10/2026 - The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office is alerting the public and law enforcement to the emergence of a dangerous new synthetic opioid, known as cychlorphine, recently identified in South Carolina.
Synthetic opioids like this are often manufactured overseas, including in China, and trafficked into the United States by drug cartels. They are designed to be more potent, more addictive, and more difficult to detect. In many cases, they are mixed into other substances without the user’s knowledge, turning any use into a potentially deadly gamble.
Attorney General Alan Wilson issued the following statement:
“This is poison, plain and simple. We are seeing foreign adversaries and drug cartels working together to flood our communities with these deadly substances. They don’t care who they kill. Their goal is profit, and the cost is American lives. Parents need to understand how serious this is and talk to their kids now, because one mistake, one exposure, can be fatal. We will use every tool at our disposal to stop this and protect South Carolina families.”
Cychlorphine poses a serious threat to public safety. Even trace amounts can result in overdose or death, and its evolving chemical composition makes it harder for traditional detection methods to identify.
The Attorney General’s Office urges all South Carolinians to take immediate precautions:
Avoid any unknown or illicit substances
Parents: talk to your children about the dangers of synthetic drugs and the reality that a single exposure could be fatal
Report suspicious activity to local law enforcement
Seek help immediately if you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse
Law enforcement and first responders should exercise heightened caution, as even incidental exposure may carry serious risks.
The Attorney General’s Office will continue working with state, local, and federal partners to combat the flow of these drugs, hold traffickers accountable, and keep this poison out of our communities.
Public safety remains our top priority.
