The Food and Drug Administration is warning the public about the harmful effects of products containing tianeptine, also referred to as “gas station heroin” due to its availability in gas station stores.

Tianeptine is an opioid alternative prescribed as an antidepressant in some Latin American, Asian and European countries. It is not approved by the FDA for any use in the U.S. and can cause a range of adverse events.

“I am very concerned. I want the public to be especially aware of this dangerous product and the serious and continuing risk it poses to America’s youth,” the FDA‘s Commissioner of Food and Drugs Dr. Martin A. Makary said in a letter. “While the FDA is closely following the distribution and sale of these products, it is critical that you appreciate the magnitude of the underlying danger of these products, and disseminate information about it.”

FDA letter: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/health-fraud-scams/new-gas-station-heroin-tianeptine-product-trend

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-warns-gas-station-heroin-tianeptine/