The FDA has issued a stark warning about the dangers of Tianeptine, a drug often referred to as ‘gas station heroin’ due to its widespread availability in smoke shops and convenience stores. Although it operates in a legal grey area in many states, including California, Tianeptine’s opioid-like effects and lack of regulatory oversight have raised serious concerns.
Sold under brand names such as Za Za Red, Pegasus, and Tiana, Tianeptine is marketed as a dietary supplement, often claiming to enhance brain function. However, medical experts warn it is far from harmless. Dr. Daniel Lasoff, an emergency physician at UC San Diego, explained that Tianeptine mimics heroin and Oxycodone by providing pain relief or a euphoric high. He added that some people are even self-medicating with it to quit other opioids like Fentanyl, though the risks are exceptionally high. “We don’t know if Fentanyl or methamphetamine makes it into Tianeptine because these aren’t regulated, FDA-approved labs,” Dr. Lasoff said.
Those dangers hit home for Kari Womack in the most tragic way. Just days after marking her ninth wedding anniversary, her husband, Emory, who had battled addiction, overdosed after purchasing Tianeptine from a local smoke shop. Reeling from her loss, she told CBS, “He was a good person, he really was. He had a good heart.” Womack emphasised that shop owners selling the substance likely have no idea of the devastating consequences.
The issue is further evidenced by alarming data. America’s Poison Control Centres reported only four cases of Tianeptine exposure in 2013. By last year, that number had surged to 391. State assembly member Dr. Akilah Weber stressed how severe the problem has become, saying, “It was actually more addictive for some people than what we’ve seen with Fentanyl.”
Because of these growing concerns, new laws have been suggested this year to ban Tianeptine across the country. These laws are still being discussed in Congress, but they are meant to tackle the serious health risks caused by this unregulated and dangerous drug.
Source: CBS8
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