The Dangerous Item Now Being Sold At Gas Stations Nationwide

By Tiffany Velasquez | Updated

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Tianeptine is widely available at gas stations in the United States. While the drug has no FDA approval, it is labeled as a dietary supplement. The highly controversial substance acts like an opioid and is known to cause withdrawals.

In some Asian, Latin, and European countries, Tianeptine is marketed as an antidepressant drug. In the United States, the drug has not been approved for medical use by the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, the drug is not classified as a controlled substance and is easily accessible.

Tianeptine is available to be purchased at gas stations throughout the United States and online. The product is being sold as a dietary supplement. The highly addictive drug is also showing up under brand names like TD Red, ZaZa Red, Tiana, and Nootropic. 

Users have reported withdrawals from Tianeptine. The substance hits opioid receptors in the brain, which explain why users have withdrawals when they stop taking it. The drug has even earned itself the name “gas station heroin.”  

Users of Tianeptine are describing the drug as giving them the feeling of a combination of cocaine and Percocet. The harmful substance is highly addictive, and users are going from taking three pills at a time to 15 at once. Others are admitting to taking up to six bottles a day. 

The withdrawal side effects are leaving people in deep regret. Tianeptine withdrawal is reportedly worse than the withdrawal associated with drugs like fentanyl or oxycodone. Side effects include vomiting, pain, uncontrollable chills and shaking, and more. 

Some states have learned about Tianeptine and have taken action against it. It has been banned in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Tennessee. The drug has proven to be harmful and highly addictive.  

Since 2020, there has been a spike in calls to poison control related to Tianeptine. Since the FDA does not regulate the drug, it is hard to know just how many people are using this drug. Though it is not regulated, the FDA has issued a warning regarding the dangers and risks associated with the drug. 

People often make the mistake of thinking drugs like Tianeptine are safe because they are bought from a store versus on the street. The companies that are selling this drug are bluntly lying and just looking to make money. Marketing the drug as a dietary supplement without any warning is harmful and completely immoral.  

The drug was studied by the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, and the results were alarming, to say the least. The study concluded that 83% of users reported addiction, 81% of users said Tianeptine was the same as an opioid, and 70% had withdrawals. These are massive numbers that anyone even considering taking the drug should think about. With so many users reporting such adverse effects and having horrific stories associated with using Tianeptine, it’s scary that the government hasn’t stepped in. Some people are at a greater risk of being addicted to the drug and harmed by it. Despite the claims that the drug improves cognitive function and fights anxiety, depression, and other disorders, it does far more harm than good.