By 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday September 23, 2026
Media Contact: Griffin Gonzales, Mountainside Treatment Center
(231) 794-9450, griffin.gonzales@mountainside.com
NEW YORK, NY — Following the deaths of two University of Mississippi students, Mountainside is urging families and college communities to seek reliable information about kratom and cychlorphine, an emerging synthetic opioid.
Authorities reported finding retail-packaged kratom during two separate death investigations. They have not determined that kratom or any other substance contributed to either death, established that the deaths are connected, or reported finding cychlorphine in either case. Mountainside extends its condolences to the students’ families, friends and campus community.
“What we’re seeing isn’t just the emergence of new substances—it’s a fundamental shift in how quickly the drug landscape is changing,” said Jana Wu, LCSW, leading kratom expert, Director of Clinical Integration at Mountainside, and founder of the first clinician-led kratom support group, Let’s Talk Kratom. “Kratom and 7-OH, cychlorphine, novel synthetic opioids, counterfeit pills and substances we may not yet be routinely testing for are creating a much more complicated clinical picture. The name on a package or pill may not tell us the whole story of what someone is actually taking.”
Kratom is a plant-derived substance sold in powders, capsules and concentrated products. Retail availability does not guarantee that a product is safe. Cychlorphine is a separate synthetic opioid identified by international drug-monitoring authorities as an emerging threat. No connection between cychlorphine and the Ole Miss deaths has been confirmed.
Mountainside has a long history of identifying emerging cultural and substance-use trends and translating them into education and prevention. Giving families, campuses and communities the information and tools they need earlier helps prevent tragedies.
“New substances like cychlorphine are a reminder that prevention education can’t be a one-time conversation,” said Laura Maguire, Vice President of Educational Partnerships at Mountainside. “When universities keep resources visible and teach students how to respond if a friend needs help, students feel prepared to reach out for themselves or others.”
Mountainside encourages parents and caregivers to ask students what they have heard, correct misinformation without judgment and discuss the risks of using unfamiliar substances.
“Speculation can spread quickly after a tragedy,” Wu added. “Families need practical safety information, while investigators establish what happened.”