The Partnership for a Drug-Free St. Joseph County

10/13/2026

Sharing this important information.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is closely monitoring the emerging threats of novel synthetic opioids. Illicit drugs have always been dangerous. The emergence of potent synthetic opioids, like cychlorphine, is especially concerning. Drug trafficking organizations frequently modify chemical formulas of known scheduled substances to make their products more potent, more addictive, and more profitable.

In July 2026, DEA published a notice of intent to temporarily schedule cychlorphine as a Schedule I substance, which took effect on August 27, 2026. The temporary scheduling order lasts through August 27, 2028.

Cychlorphine cannot be detected by fentanyl test strips. Naloxone can reverse opioid-related overdoses but, given the potency of cychlorphine, multiple doses may be required. If you suspect someone is experiencing a drug overdose / poisoning, always call emergency services immediately.

Link to fact sheet:
https://ow.ly/WZLu50ZX9gZ

10/07/2026

Don't miss this FREE Webinar sponsored by the Partnership for Drug-Free St. Joseph County. Register now!

10/07/2026

Cannabis Now 15 TIMES More Potent Than at the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival
With an estimated nearly half-million attendees, the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair is famous, or infamous, for being a crazy party.

But did you know that while the cannabis tested at Woodstock typically contained 1% THC, the substance producing the "high" linked to cannabis use, cannabis today has an average THC content of 15% or higher?

https://ow.ly/hRBu50ZSkMh

10/05/2026

Important learning opportunity! Dr. Weiner is a fantastic presenter and we’ve hosted him several times. With Kratom and other gas station “drugs” exploding on the market, know what the landscape is!

Webinar Reschedule Alert!

Today's webinar, Hiding in Plain Sight: The Rise of Gas Station Drugs, has moved to November 2nd.

Dr. Weiner will cover kratom, cannabis-derived products, and other unregulated substances showing up in supplements, edibles, oils, and drinks, plus signs of misuse, prevention strategies, and how to support someone who's struggling.

Sign Up Today:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hiding-in-plain-sight-the-rise-of-gas-station-drugs-tickets-1998229903432?aff=oddtdtcreator

10/02/2026

The ma*****na industry is now selling what looks similar to M&M’s. Sharing this information. These THC-infused edibles are small, brightly colored, sugar-shelled chocolates that look strikingly familiar to an everyday candy. POTPOTS markets each piece as containing 1 mg of THC, with 100 pieces per package, and even describes them as “snackable” and “shareable.” For prevention, the comparison is hard to ignore: when a cannabis edible looks like a candy people have recognized since childhood, what does that mean for product recognition, safe storage, accidental ingestion, and perceptions of risk? Sometimes the difference between a treat and THC requires a much closer look.

10/01/2026

Don't listen to the ma*****na industry. Ma*****na use is harmful and data is showing just how much.

09/30/2026

The Great American Recovery Initiative invests in the future of recovery by supporting youth, families, and communities. Strong connections, biological or chosen, help recovery thrive across generations.

09/30/2026

Sharing this public health alert from the Addiction Policy Forum.

Public health and safety partners nationwide are warning about cychlorphine, an emerging synthetic opioid identified in the illicit drug supply across the United States. Cychlorphine belongs to a class of novel synthetic opioids known as “orphines.” It has been found on its own and in combination with fentanyl and other substances, including methamphetamine, co***ne, and counterfeit pills made to resemble prescription medications.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) at the White House reported 106 drug-supply reports across 10 states in 2025, with detections in all four U.S. Census regions. Cychlorphine has been linked to at least 55 deaths nationally from 2025 to 2026, with the highest prevalence in Ohio, Texas, and Tennessee. These data are evolving as surveillance and toxicology testing expand.

Why Cychlorphine is Concerning
Cychlorphine may be up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl, and overdoses may require multiple doses of naloxone. Importantly, cychlorphine is not detected by common drug test strips or routine hospital opioid urine screens.

Because routine testing may not identify cychlorphine, a negative test does not rule out opioid exposure. Clinicians, first responders, and community members should respond to the person’s symptoms rather than relying on a test result.

Recognize the Signs
Like other opioids, cychlorphine can cause profound sedation and respiratory depression—the slowing or stopping of breathing that can be fatal without a rapid response. Its presence in an unpredictable, unregulated drug supply means people may not know they have been exposed.

What to do in a suspected overdose:
Call 911 immediately
Give naloxone. Naloxone is effective in reversing opioid overdose involving cychlorphine
Provide first aid interventions if trained to do so, such as rescue breathing, while waiting for naloxone to take effect
Stay with the person until emergency help arrives

Naloxone should be administered whenever an opioid overdose is suspected. It will not harm someone if opioids are not involved. Because cychlorphine is highly potent, more than one dose of naloxone may be needed.

09/30/2026

When families have access to resources, education, and support, they can help create the foundation for lifelong recovery and wellbeing.

09/29/2026

Recovery high schools, collegiate recovery programs, and peer mentorship help young people build healthy futures while staying connected to recovery support.