In the wake of recent deaths at the University of Mississippi, as well as suspicions surrounding the presence of the potent synthetic opioid cychlorphine in the drug supply, University officials, medical leaders and student organizations across the country have begun urging students to exercise increased caution around controlled substances.
The University of Mississippi confirmed the deaths of two students Sept. 22. Shortly after, the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit announced that they had no evidence to indicate that the two deaths were connected, but the Unit did caution the public to avoid kratom and reported that packaged kratom had been found during both investigations.
Kratom is a plant-derived substance that in low doses acts as a stimulant, but in high doses can act as a sedative and have opioid-like properties. In some states and counties — including Virginia — kratom is legal to buy, possess and use for adults aged 21 and older and is commonly sold in convenience stores and gas stations.
Shortly after the announcement of the two students’ deaths, several Greek life organizations at the University of Mississippi released statements expressing concern about cychlorphine — a potent synthetic opioid — being present in the drug supply. The organizations noted that cychlorphine does not show up on fentanyl test strips and encouraged members to avoid using unprescribed substances due to the possible contamination.
The University's Inter-Fraternity Council released a similar statement to University fraternity members Sept. 24, discussing the deaths of the two students from the University of Mississippi and reiterating the suspicion that cychlorphine may have been contaminated in the drug supply. The statement from Tejus Lakshminarayan, vice president of risk management for the IFC and fourth-year Commerce student, further encouraged students to avoid non-prescribed substances and ensure that all fraternity chapter houses have Narcan available.
Narcan — or naloxone — is an opioid receptor antagonist that can be administered during an opioid-related emergency to rapidly reverse an overdose. Narcan works on overdoses caused by substances such as fentanyl, cychlorphine and oxycodone.
Dr. Abigail Kerns, assistant professor of emergency medicine at the School of Medicine and medical toxicologist, wrote in a statement to The Cavalier Daily that one of the biggest concerns for college students regarding cychlorphine is its ability to enter the drug supply without consumers’ knowledge.
“The biggest concern is that someone may be exposed to cychlorphine without knowing they are taking an opioid … [which] can be life-threatening, particularly in somebody with no opioid tolerance,” Kerns wrote.
Kerns also wrote that cychlorphine is an example of how the illicit drug supply changes over time, and new synthetic opioids can enter the supply before physicians, toxicologists or other health agencies can identify what they are and their potential risks.
Medical toxicology is the subspecialty of emergency medicine that would traditionally care for patients suffering from an overdose. Kerns shared in her written statement to The Cavalier Daily that she has personally cared for patients that have been affected by kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine — or 7-OH — and other emerging synthetic opioids.
According to Kerns, 7-OH is a naturally occurring substance found in the traditional kratom leaf, but in many places, it is being sold in highly concentrated formulas, which can pose increased risk to consumers.
“It is important to distinguish traditional kratom leaf from concentrated 7-OH products. 7-OH occurs naturally in kratom in very small amounts, but concentrated 7-OH products can contain much higher amounts,” Kerns wrote. “The FDA has specifically warned about concentrated 7-OH products, noting that they have not been proven safe or effective for any use.”
Kerns also said caring for patients experiencing adverse effects from intentional or unintentional synthetic opioid consumption can be particularly difficult for toxicologists because patients may not know what they have consumed, and the substances do not always appear on common diagnostic tests.
Dr. Christopher Holstege, professor of emergency medicine at the School of Medicine and director of the Blue Ridge Poison Center, reiterated the concerns shared by Kerns regarding the inclusion of synthetic opioids and other unknown substances in the drug supply. Holstege also described it as a “fourth wave” to the opioid epidemic.
In a press briefing Sept. 29, Holstege explained the emerging threat of orphines — a broader class of synthetic opioids that include substances like cychlorphine — and that the first wave of the opioid epidemic involved prescription drugs, followed by heroin and then fentanyl. Now, Holstege said, the country is entering a fourth wave characterized by a “plethora of drugs” and mixtures of substances, making it increasingly difficult to determine what is in the illicit drug supply.
“We're seeing this plethora of drugs, various substances and mixtures, so it's not just one,” Holstege said. “You're not just getting heroin or getting fentanyl, but you're getting xylazine with an orphine and fentanyl, and that's why these are such challenging times.”
Holstege also said that he and other toxicologists in his field believe that fentanyl is still the most common opioid in the drug supply, but he explained that the newer synthetic opioids can be very difficult to detect and thus more difficult to examine their actual prevalence in the community.
Lakshminarayan said in an email statement to The Cavalier Daily that the University's IFC is working to help protect not only members of Greek life, but the broader University community through risk management programs. He explained that IFC requires each chapter to have at least two doses of Narcan and a first-aid kit in their house. He also said every chapter’s risk manager must be certified in both CPR and Narcan administration, meaning most houses have multiple trained members at any given time as risk managers typically rotate each semester.
Lakshminarayan also explained that the IFC is actively working alongside the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Well-Being Services at Student Health and Wellness to promote public safety initiatives, including a program that offers free Narcan pickup and training to students.
Concerns over the risks associated with legally sold kratom and 7-OH have also prompted recent legislation changes in Virginia. Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed a bill into law in May that restricts the sale of kratom products and limits the sale of products containing 7-OH above specified thresholds.
According to Danielle D’Andrea, director of communications and marketing for SHW, SHW offers multiple resources and programs to help educate students on emerging substance use trends and provide resources to those suffering from substance use disorders.
D’Andrea also highlighted a program known as the “Collegiate Recovery Program,” a program that provides support to University students, faculty and staff in recovery from substance use disorders. D’Andrea said that these programs focused on substance use education and recovery are central to SHW’s mission and have already reached thousands of University students.
Students can attend Collegiate Recovery Program meetings without signing up in advance. Meetings are held every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Well-Being Suite on the first floor of SHW.
According to D'Andrea, Well-Being Services at SHW hosted 202 programs and events that involved 7,346 students in programming focused on alcohol, cannabis, overdose prevention and other substance-use topics in fiscal year 2026. D’Andrea said that it is a priority of SHW to connect students with substance use resources when needed.
“The goal is to make it easy for students to find support at whatever point they may be in their experience with substance use,” D’Andrea wrote. “Students can start with SHW, and staff can help connect them with the resource or level of care that is most appropriate for their needs.”
Michael Racz is a staff writer on the news desk. He is a second-year College student majoring in biology with plans to go to medical school. He enjoys writing about health topics and student self-governance.
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