‘Gas Station Heroin’ Banned After Causing Dozens of Overdoses in Florida

A substance linked to at least five deaths nationwide has been temporarily banned in Florida, where it has led to the hospitalizations of at least 50 people since 2019.

Florida's Attorney General Ashley Moody filed an emergency rule this week, banning sales of tianeptine — commonly referred to as "gas station heroin."

Tianeptineis an over-the-counter atypical tricyclic anti-depressant that purportedly treats depression, anxiety, asthma, and irritable bowel syndrome. It is sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores as a dietary supplement under brand names like Stablon, Tatinol, Pegasus, Tianaa, Zaza Red, and Coaxil.

The substance had been added to Florida's Schedule I list of controlled substances, Moody said during a video released to the media.

Tianeptine is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for any medical use and Moody said it played a factor in five deaths nationwide.

Moody said tianeptine "is highly addictive and even deadly. The federal government reports deaths nationwide, and tianeptine is causing an increase in calls to Florida's Poison Control Center. We are taking immediate action to outlaw this dangerous substance in our state."

The sales and use of products containing tianeptine is now illegal. Moody said she will be working to make the temporary ban permanent.

Tianeptine has already been banned in several other states, including Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration claims tianeptine is abused as it has euphoric properties similar to other opioids, like heroin.

"Severe adverse health effects, including respiratory depression, severe sedation and death have occurred from misuse," a statement on the ban notes.

Florida's Poison Control Center received 15 exposure calls in the first half of 2023 from users between the ages of 23 to 58. In 2022, 24 calls were reported, with a total of 54 reported over the last four years.

Nationally, approximately 607 calls were made to poison control centers from 2020 to 2022 due to complications from using tianeptine.

The FDA claims some users may have difficulty giving up tianeptine, and notes withdrawal symptoms from the substance include agitation, drowsiness, confusion, sweating, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, slowed or stopped breath, coma, and death.