The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has released data indicating a significant increase in the seizure of carfentanil and a concerning average of emerging synthetic opioids, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost cautions. According to the Ohio Attorney General's Office, there have been 199 occurrences of carfentanil discovered in drug samples so far this year, a rise from the figures recorded in the previous two years. "The amateur chemists who create these deadly drug combinations don't care if you live or die," Yost explained. "Here's the deal: If you take drugs that weren't prescribed by your doctor, you risk lethal exposure to synthetic opioids."
Despite a substantial decline after reaching a peak in 2017, with carfentanil being found in 1,119 drug samples, the resurgence of the drug poses a serious threat across 46 counties in Ohio. The concentration of seizures primarily hit central and northwestern Ohio, but a spike has been observed spreading into southern counties. Among the various forms of the drug—to include powder, tablets, and liquids—in a spectrum of colors ranging from white to purple, the potent synthetic opioid has been found.
An addition to the growing list of dangerous substances, BCI labs identified a new opioid compound in Ohio, named N-propionitrile chlorphine, also known as cychlorphine. Debuting in a tan powder form, this compound was linked to a non-fatal overdose in Fairfield's Butler County, where several doses of Narcan were needed to revive the individual, according to the first responders on the scene. Cychlorphine, with effects similar to those of fentanyl, has recently made its mark with the DEA reporting related incidents in Tennessee in July 2025 and a prior seizure in Florida in April 2024.
