The New Gas Station Heroin
The new over the counter substance getting people addicted...
In recent years, a new and dangerous drug has been quietly making its way into gas stations, convenience stores, and online marketplaces across the United States: Tianeptine. Known on the street as “Gas Station Heroin,” “Tianna,” “Tia,” “Neptune’s Fix,” and “Zaza Red,” this seemingly benign drug poses a significant public health threat — yet it remains largely under the radar and is not federally scheduled as a controlled substance. That means that anybody can walk into a gas station and buy it.
Originally developed in France in the 1960s as an antidepressant, Tianeptine was marketed under brand names like Stablon and Coaxil. However, it works very differently from typical antidepressants: Tianeptine stimulates mu-opioid receptors — the same receptors targeted by powerful narcotics like heroin and fentanyl. In essence, it acts much more like fentanyl than Prozac.
Why is Tianeptine so dangerous?
Tianeptine is deceptive. It is sold over the counter in colorful vials as a “dietary supplement,” giving it an appearance of safety. Users are often unaware that what they’re consuming is chemically like opioids. At very low doses, Tianeptine may produce mood enhancement or mild euphoria. But at higher doses — which users often seek for stronger effects — it can lead to opioid-like intoxication, dependence, physical withdrawal, and even fatal overdoses. Symptoms of overdose include severe respiratory depression, coma, severe vomiting, kidney failure, and death.
Because Tianeptine is sold legally in many places, often labeled as a dietary supplement, nootropic, or cognitive enhancer, many assume it’s safe. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Several proactive states, including Michigan, Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee, have taken emergency steps to ban its sale — but federally, Tianeptine remains unregulated.
Growing Use of Tianeptine
Disturbingly, a recent CDC study revealed that the total number of poison control calls about Tianeptine increased from just five in 2014 to 38 in 2015, 83 in 2016 and 81 in 2017. About a third of the calls came from the South, and the average age was 35 years, according to the CDC. More than 80% of the calls were about men. And more than 90% of the calls came from distressed health care providers trying to assist their patients with side effects, acute withdrawal, and overdose from the substance.
As an Addiction Psychiatrist, I have already started seeing cases of Tianeptine withdrawal, which can be just as agonizing — if not worse — than withdrawal from traditional illicit opioids like fentanyl and heroin. Symptoms include severe anxiety, gastrointestinal distress, muscle pain, agitation, insomnia, and intense cravings. Most of my patients report taking Tianeptine to help with depression symptoms and/or chronic pain.
There is some good news here: naloxone or Narcan, the opioid overdose reversal medication that reverses fentanyl, heroin, and other opioid overdoses, also helps to partially reverse a Tianeptine overdose. This is even more reason to keep Narcan on hand wherever you go.
The Bottom Line
• If you see products like ZaZa Red, Tianna Red, or Neptune’s Fix, know they most likely contain Tianeptine.
• Tianeptine is NOT a safe alternative to traditional antidepressants or opioids.
• If you or a loved one is struggling with Tianeptine use, seek medical help — withdrawal can be serious and requires professional support.
· Narcan, the opioid overdose reversal medicine, also reverses Tianeptine overdoses. Intranasal Narcan can be purchased over the counter (without a prescription) or ordered online and delivered directly to your home for free through this website.
Final Thoughts
Like Kratom, the emergence of Tianeptine is yet another example of how addictive substances often outpace regulation. Just because something is sold legally does not mean it is safe. For now, like its sister substances Kratom and Delta-8, Tianeptine has outpaced federal regulation and remains largely under the radar. Hopefully, the DEA will eventually label it an illegal schedule one substance. Until then, stay informed, advocate for tighter controls, and keep plenty of Narcan on hand.
-Lauren