San Francisco health officials are warning about a synthetic opioid called cychlorphine, which they say is more dangerous than fentanyl. Police connected the drug to the death of a 16-year-old in April. The investigation that followed led officers to more than 20,000 pills containing counterfeit drugs, and two people are now facing charges. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has promised aggressive prosecution, saying the case is proof that holding drug sellers accountable has to continue.
The part that worries officials most is how these pills are made. They’re designed to look like trusted pharmaceuticals, meaning someone could take one and have no idea what’s actually inside. Authorities say the pills get passed between friends, not just sold on street corners, which is how teenagers end up exposed without realizing it.
Sacramento sits right along the I-80 corridor, and counterfeit pills move through this region the same way everything else does. That makes this a local story, not just a Bay Area one. Parents, teachers, and anyone who spends time around young people should know that a pill from a friend is not a safe pill. If you can’t trace exactly where it came from, you can’t know what’s in it.
What’s the best way you’ve found to talk with the young people in your life about this? Let us know in the comments.
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
