The Dangers of Tianeptine and Other Forms of Gas Station Dope
While many people think about getting drugs on the streets, fewer realize that gas station drugs are readily available and have very little oversight. Anyone can go to the corner store and pick up drugs, including tianeptine and 7-oh kratom.
You should know the risk that these drugs pose to you, even though they may be legal.
Tianeptine and kratom are two forms of “gas station heroin” that produce opioid-like effects without the need for a prescription from a medical professional.
They have some of the same withdrawal effects as true opioids, which can present serious risks for anyone using them recreationally.
South Shores Detox can get you the help you need with these gas station drugs and permit you to seek treatment for pain, depression, and other conditions that drive you to use.
Keep reading to learn more about how dependence on these drugs drives consumers to buy them again and again.
More than One Kind of Gas Station Dope
While other opioids are illegally sold, you might find that there are some drugs in a similar class that you can easily access at convenience store shelves.
They come in several different forms under new names like ZaZa Red and Neptune’s Fix.
But there are a few generally recognized supplements that people clamor for consistently. Here are two of the most popular substances you can purchase outright with no regard for the Controlled Substances Act.
Tianeptine Products (Known as Gas Station Heroin or Neptune’s Fix)
Perhaps the most pervasive drug available at many local gas stations nationwide is tianeptine. This is marketed not as an opioid but as a dietary supplement in the United States. In other countries, these over-the-counter drugs are used to treat depression.
Namely, they are found in Latin America, Asia, and Europe.
These tricyclic antidepressants are not FDA-approved for consumption in the United States–and for good reason.
While you may not find opioids at convenience stores, this is a close second that you can actually obtain legally. That being said, tianeptine products aren’t safer than the drugs you would find on the streets. In fact, they have minimal oversight and have led to a surge of poisoning claims over the past two decades.
Other names for tianeptine sodium include Neptune’s Fix, Zaza, Pegasus, TD Red, and Tianaa. All are new labels for the same drug that has posed a problem for the National Poison Data System again and again.
Kratom and 7-Oh Kratom: A New Unapproved Drug
A similar product is surfacing at gas stations around the country, sold legally and touted as a natural way to seek an opioid-like high. This herb can act as both an opioid and a stimulant, which creates a perfect storm for those who are looking for a cheap and readily available high.
So what’s the problem with concentrated kratom extracts like 7 0h kratom?
Even small doses of this form of gas station heroin are just as dangerous as tianeptine sodium. They can even be fatal if you happen to take more than you think you are. There is no regulation of the herb, and dosing instructions are nonexistent. You never know how much you’re taking.
The kratom industry is already a $1.5 billion industry with roughly 15 million users in America alone. But with extracted products whose ingredients are uncertain, it only takes one dose that is too high to rob you of the best years of your life.
When to Seek Help for Gas Station Heroin
Controlled substances are easy to seek help for at any treatment program around the world. Doctors are familiar with opioid use disorders and the medical use of the drugs you may be taking.
However, fewer are familiar with gas station drugs that are popping up right and left, like tianeptine products.
Here are some of the things you might expect to experience when transitioning off these supplements, and some signs that you may need help to put your health on the right track.
How Tianeptine Works on the Brain
Before we can dive into the withdrawal effects of tianeptine, it’s important to know the effects it has on the brain. Tianeptine acts on the mu-opioid receptors just like prescribed opioids. At first glance, you’ll get the same euphoric high that you might get from a prescription or illegal drugs.
However, it also creates dependence on the tianeptine and leads to withdrawal symptoms whenever you decide that you want to get off the gas station drugs. It’s even more dangerous when mixed with other substances like alcohol, prescription pills, morphine, and other drugs.
Something more needs to be done to monitor dependence on the drugs and monitor their sales.
Dietary Supplement Side Effects Similar to Opioid Use Disorder
Gas stations don’t necessarily have your best interests in mind when it comes to tianeptine abuse. As far as they are concerned, this is a money-making product.
It’s made even more so because it mimics the side effects and withdrawal symptoms of real opioids, leading to dependence.
What are some of the more severe side effects that are common to tianeptine withdrawal?
- Agitation and restlessness
- Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal upset
- Anxiety
- Chills
- Drowsiness
- Rapid heartbeat
- Increased blood pressure
- Slowed or stopped breathing
While some of the effects of tianeptine exposure are relatively mild, others can segue into the serious. If you’ve been taking gas station heroin as an attempt to treat depression or simply to lose some weight, it might be time to consider a rehab program where you can be safe while detoxing from Neptune’s Fix or 7-oh kratom ‘Kbombs’.
When to Seek Help for Tianeptine Use
Tianeptine exposure is serious enough when you start to enter into those early days of withdrawal. You may not be able to tell the difference between your own symptoms and those of someone with opioid use disorder. But how do you know when the moment comes to seek help?
If you’re serious about getting clean from tianeptine products you find at convenience stores, it may be a good time to consider residential treatment. You can rest easy knowing that you’re in good hands with available medical care, where you can’t get more drugs from smoke shops or gas stations.
Plus, we may be able to prescribe other antidepressants that would be more effective, less addictive, and prove to be far less harmful than gas station heroin. The sooner you act, the sooner you improve brain function without an addictive drug.
An Attempt to Ban Tianeptine with Bipartisan Legislation
Because of the influx of calls to poison control centers, there is more reason now than ever before for legislators to consider revamping the Controlled Substances Act to make obtaining gas station heroin part of the past. The good news is that bipartisan legislation is on the table to stop sales of tianeptine.
Under the STAND Against Emerging Opioids Act, tianeptine and the other drugs that are sold under other names with similar opioid-like effects will be considered Schedule III controlled substances. Legislation would make it illegal for gas stations to carry it.
If the act passes, it will make a prescription mandatory for anyone who wants to access these drugs.
Support for the legislation is strong on both sides of the aisle. Everyone recognizes that these drugs are being sold without regulation and without medical supervision, which is risky. While the act doesn’t get rid of the drugs in their entirety, it does make them much more manageable.
Get Help for Tianeptine and Kratom at South Shores
Whether you’re taking opioids or something readily available on convenience store shelves, it’s time for you to seek help for your addiction. Withdrawal can be uncomfortable in those early days without drugs and alcohol, but South Shores Detox can help you through it.
Our medical team is available for you around the clock, giving you access to the care and support you need when you need it most. Doctors and clinicians can make you more comfortable when withdrawal symptoms hit and give you the space to process while ensuring your sobriety.
Let our caring Admissions team answer your questions about our accredited and proven programs for opioid use disorder and other forms of addiction. We can even verify your insurance benefits in a quick and confidential call so that you know what to expect from care.
Reach out to us today to reserve your spot in our treatment programs!
References
- New Jersey Department of Health. (n.d.). Health alert: Tianeptine or “gas station heroin.”
- Haddow, M. (2023, February 1). Statement of Mac Haddow, Senior Fellow on Public Policy.
- Rep. Panetta reintroduces bipartisan legislation to combat abuse of “gas station heroin” following FDA warnings. Congressman Jimmy Panetta. (2025, May 20).