KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – A new drug is being linked to 16 East Tennessee deaths since December, according to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center.
The drug, an opioid, is called N-Propionitrile Chlorphine, or cychlorphine for short, a notice from the forensics center said, adding that “not much” is known about the quickly-spreading drug. The forensic center did point to a University of Kentucky study that found it had been associated with an increase in deadly overdoses.
“It’s showing up at an exponential rate and at this point, we don’t know if it’s a single batch and done with or if it’s the new future,” said Chris Thomas, the chief administrative officer and director of the Knox County Regional Forensic Center. He added the overdose deaths were often connected to other drug use, like methamphetamine and fentanyl…