The United States Chief Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is sounding an alarm for dangerous drugs called “gas station heroin,” which can lead to serious harm, including death.
FDA Commissioner Martin A. McCurry wrote to a colleague last week to pay attention to what the public and young people are calling “dangerous and growing health trends.” McCurry said the number of adverse events, including products containing tianeptine, is on the rise.
Thianeptin, often referred to as “gas station heroin,” is sold at gas stations through a variety of products, despite not being approved by the FDA.
“I’m very worried,” McCurry wrote. “I want the public to recognize this dangerous product and the serious and continuing risk it poses to young Americans.”
“Supplements” are generally made under the brand name Zaza or Teana Red. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)
Products are usually sold at convenience stores, gas stations, vape shops and online retailers, and are sold under names such as Tianaa, Zaza, Neptune’s Fix, Pegasus, TD Red.
McCurry said the FDA follows the distribution and sales of products containing tianeptine, but is calling on colleagues to spread information about the drug while assessing the magnitude of its underlying risk.
Thianeptin is licensed and sold in some countries as an atypical antidepressant, and in approved countries, the typical labeled dose for treating depression is 12.5 mg orally three times a day.
Take a high dose and you can It produces a sense of happiness. Some countries limit how tianeptine is prescribed or dispensed, and even modify labels to warn of its potential addiction.
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The FDA warns about the dangers of tianeptine. (Reuters/Andrew Kelly/File Photo)
However, in the United States, tianeptin is not listed as part of the Controlled Substances Act.
This drug is often taken on recreational occasions, but if it suddenly stops, the user may experience withdrawal symptoms similar to those associated with opioid withdrawal – craving, sweating, diarrhea, etc.
McCurry writes that if tianeptine is ingested, adverse events can include agitation, coma, confusion, death, drowsiness, hypertension, nausea, respiratory depression, sweating, tachycardia, and vomiting.
Two years ago, New Jersey health officials warned that two products sold as gas stations and online dietary supplements — Neptune’s Elixir and Zaza Red — had caused a surge in disease.
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New Jersey health officials raised concerns in 2023 about the modified elixir of Neptune, a product containing tianeptin, after reports of disease clusters related to the product. (FDA Regulatory Bureau, Health Fraud Division)
Between June and November 2023, 20 cases of cyaneptin had been reported in New Jersey, causing “severe clinical effects.”
In 2023, the FDA posted a warning warning about the dangers of Neptune modifications or other products, including cyaneptin.
“The FDA has received severe adverse events reports following use of Neptune’s fixed products, including loss of consciousness that leads to hospitalization, including seizures and loss of consciousness,” the agency said.
“The FDA believes that tianeptine is a substance that does not meet the legal definition of dietary ingredients and is an unsafe food additive. The FDA recognizes several. Serious adverse events Reports related to tianeptine. ”
On January 28, 2024, Neptune Resources, LLC, the manufacturer of Neptune’s modifications, issued a voluntary recall of the product due to the presence of tianeptin, but experts warn that other products may also contain medications.
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Anyone using tianeptin or a product containing tianeptin and experiencing withdrawal symptoms can call the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or ask for an emergency Medical supportadvised by experts.
Melissa Rudy of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
