By Sophia Diamond

As the illegal drug supply continues to change, University of Colorado Boulder students may encounter substances that contain more than they expect. Fentanyl remains a major concern, but there are newer synthetic opioids such as cychlorphine that are raising concerns and questions about how students can protect themselves and others.

Mia Ramundo, director of public relations for End Overdose at CU Boulder, said that awareness of fentanyl has increased, but that doesn’t mean students know how to respond to an overdose.

“A lot of students have heard of fentanyl, but they might not know the signs of an overdose, how naloxone works or what steps to take if something happens,” Ramundo said.

Cychlorphine is a newer synthetic opioid that has recently appeared in the U.S. drug supply. The emergence of new substances can make it harder for students to know what they are taking and how to be safe with it.  

“The drug landscape changes so quickly, so we can’t assume that students are going to be familiar with every substance that comes up,” Ramundo explained. 

End Overdose is a nonprofit organization with the goal of ending deaths caused by drug overdosing through education, medical intervention and public awareness. When a new substance emerges, End Overdose focuses on sharing information from credible sources rather than creating unnecessary fear.  

CU Boulder senior Ella Farish believes students often overlook the risks associated with drug use. 

“Honestly, I never hear anyone talk about drug safety,” said Farish. “I just see them doing it, and I think people like to ignore the fact that there could possibly be something else in their drugs.”

Farish recently learned about cychlorphine through a friend and expressed concern about how little she knew about the substance. 

“I don’t think the school has said anything about it that I’ve seen at least,” she said. 

Recognizing an opioid overdose changes the sense of emergency. According to Ramundo, three signs students should look for are slow breathing, a lack of response to painful stimuli and dilated, “pinpoint” pupils.  

If you suspect an overdose is happening, 911 should be called, and naloxone should be administered if it’s available, which is commonly known as Narcan.  

A common misconception among students is that naloxone could hurt someone who is not experiencing an overdose.  

“If you’re in a situation where you are unsure, you give them naloxone and always then go and get help from 911 or a medical tent or whatever the medical service is where you are,” Ramundo said. 

There can still be a stigma around carrying naloxone because some people associate it with personally using drugs. End Overdose works to present it as an emergency tool that anyone can carry.  

“You don’t have to be having a heart attack to know CPR, and you don’t have to use drugs to carry naloxone,” Ramundo said. 

Farish learned how to use Narcan through her former sorority, which also provided it for free. 

“I don’t carry Narcan on me. But we have it in our house,” Farish said. 

Students can access free naloxone through CU Boulder’s Health Promotion office at Wardenburg Health Center. 

Peer-to-peer education is also an important part of how End Overdose reaches students. Rather than judging students for their decisions, giving them information they can use is more important.  

“We think it’s more effective to say, ‘Here’s what you should know to keep yourself and others safe,’ rather than just telling people what not to do,” Ramundo said. 

Farish believes CU should provide more drug-safety education, especially for incoming freshmen who may be unfamiliar with the risks. 

As newer drugs continue to emerge, knowing how to recognize an overdose, where to find naloxone and when to call for help can make a difference. For CU students, being prepared could mean saving the life of a friend, a classmate or someone they don’t even know.