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Hazardous Substances

Potassium Cyanide (KCN)

Street names: KCN, Cyanide salts

Potassium Cyanide (KCN) — White crystalline salt, almond-like odor when damp

What it does

  • NONE — this is not a recreational drug. Blocks cellular oxygen use within minutes

Key risks

  • Lethal dose ~200–300 mg — death within minutes to an hour
  • No antidote available outside hospital; hydrogen cyanide gas from acid contact

Overdose signs

  • All exposure is poisoning: gasping, seizures, collapse, cardiac arrest

📋Quick facts

Also known asKCN, Cyanide salts
CategoryHazardous Substances
Schedule / classNot a drug — regulated toxic chemical (poisons laws)
AppearanceWhite crystalline salt, almond-like odor when damp
Street priceN/A — sometimes sold fraudulently as 'peaceful exit' scams
Legal statusHeavily regulated toxic chemical; possession without industrial license is a crime in all target regions
Last updated2026-09-12
Sources: WHO, CDC, ATSDR

Category comparison — Hazardous Substances

SubstanceClassTop risksStreet price
Potassium Cyanide (KCN)Not a drug — regulated toxic chemicalLethal dose ~200–300 mg — death within minutes to an hour; No antidote available outside hospital; hydrogen cyanide gas from acid contactN/A — sometimes sold fraudulently as 'peaceful exit' scams
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly — see our pressed pill guide.