You might have heard the phrase gas station heroin and wondered what it actually means. Gas station heroin is a street nickname for products containing tianeptine. This compound is sold at gas stations, convenience stores, smoke shops, and online, often under names like Zaza, Pegasus, Tianna Red, or Neptune’s Fix [1]. These products are marketed as supplements or mood boosters, but those claims are misleading and dangerous.
Here’s the hard truth:
- Tianeptine is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for any medical use, including to treat depression, anxiety, pain, or opioid withdrawal [1,2].
- At higher doses, tianeptine produces opioid agonist effects, meaning it activates the same receptors as opioids and can cause euphoria, dependence, and misuse [3].
- These products are unregulated, dosing is inconsistent, and sometimes combined with other substances, increasing the risk of serious health complications [2].
This combination of accessibility, misleading marketing, and opioid-like effects is why tianeptine is widely known as gas station heroin [4].
Is tianeptine an opioid like heroin?
Tianeptine is not derived from opium, but research shows it binds to opioid receptors in the brain, producing effects similar to opioids when taken in high doses [3]. This is why tianeptine use can lead to dependence, abuse, and withdrawal symptoms that closely resemble opioid withdrawal.
Unlike prescribed opioid medications, tianeptine products sold in gas stations are not regulated for purity, dosage, or safety by the FDA. Health agencies have linked these products to seizures, severe illness, overdose, and death, especially when people attempt to quit without support [1,2,4].
Related: Oxycontin and Oxycodone: The Gateway Opiates
Other substances are sold at gas stations and convenience stores
Over time, gas stations and convenience stores have quietly become places where dangerous drugs are sold alongside common gas station snacks without clear warnings. You could argue that any unregulated substance sold at a gas station that mimics the effects of opioids can qualify as gas station heroin. Among these substances are kratom, kava, and synthetic cannabinoids.
Kratom
Kratom is a plant native to parts of Southeast Asia that is commonly sold as a dietary supplement claiming to help with pain, anxiety, depression, or opioid withdrawal [5]. Despite those claims:
- Kratom is not approved by the FDA for any medical use [5].
- Regular use can lead to dependence, misuse, and withdrawal symptoms [5].
- Some products contain concentrated compounds that increase abuse potential and health risks.
Related: Kratom: This “Herbal Medicine” Is More Like an Herbal Monster
Kava and kratom together
Some drinks combine kava and kratom and are marketed as calming or mood-boosting. Kava has traditional ceremonial use in some cultures, but combining it with kratom can amplify risks of addiction, especially when used frequently or in high doses. These combinations are unregulated, and effects vary widely from person to person.
Synthetic cannabinoids and other drugs
Synthetic cannabinoids that are sometimes sold as THC alternatives are chemically manufactured substances that can cause drug-induced psychosis, seizures, severe illness, and death. These are not comparable to cannabis and are especially dangerous when mixed with other drugs [4].
Withdrawal symptoms: What can happen when you stop
One of the most overlooked dangers of these substances is what happens when someone tries to stop. Because they’re sold over-the-counter as a mood-booster, many people don’t realize they’ve developed dependence until withdrawal symptoms start.
Tianeptine withdrawal
Tianeptine withdrawal can resemble opioid withdrawal and may include anxiety, agitation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, insomnia, and worsening depression [1,3]. The severity of these symptoms varies widely due to inconsistent dosing in unregulated products.
Kratom withdrawal
Kratom withdrawal may involve irritability, anxiety, low mood, sleep disruption, gastrointestinal distress, and cravings [5]. Products containing highly concentrated compounds such as 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) have raised particular concern.
Health agencies warn that withdrawal from these high-potency kratom products can be more intense, longer lasting, and more difficult to manage than typical opioid withdrawal, especially after prolonged use [5].
Related: Is Kratom Addictive?
Kava withdrawal
Kava is not an opioid, but stopping after regular heavy use can still lead to irritability, restlessness, sleep problems, and increased anxiety [6]. When kava is used alongside kratom or tianeptine, withdrawal effects can overlap and feel more destabilizing.
This is why medical guidance and structured support matter when stepping away from these substances.
What do kava and kratom do?
These substances are often marketed in a misleading way to get you to buy them instinctively, to try them out, and see what all the buzz is about. There might be little or no indication on the packaging that what you are about to consume can do anything but make you feel free, ease your pain, boost your mood, or calm you down.
Here’s how these substances are usually described in stores:
- Kava is often marketed as a natural relaxant or stress reliever.
- Kratom is marketed in some circles as a way to manage pain or mood, or even as an opioid alternative.
Neither of these compounds is FDA-approved, and because their distribution is largely unregulated, you can’t trust the claims on the package. You don’t know the dose, purity, or combined effects with other substances, which is how many people wind up with withdrawal symptoms, liver issues, or worse [5,6].
Is kratom legal in the U.S.?
Kratom’s legal status varies by state and locality:
- There is no FDA approval for kratom as a drug or supplement [5].
- Some states and cities have banned its sale, while others allow it with limited regulation.
- Federal health agencies continue to warn about its abuse potential and health risks [5].
This uneven regulation allows kratom products to remain widely available despite growing evidence of harm.
Related: Kratom Addiction: What is it and When to Get Help
Why awareness matters
When a product is sold at a gas station, it can seem harmless. Substances like tianeptine, kratom, and synthetic cannabinoids are often marketed as cures for depression, anxiety, or pain, even though they have been linked to addiction, severe withdrawal, and death [1,2,4].
Knowing what’s behind the marketing helps you protect yourself and the people you care about.
How New Life House can help
If substance use, whether from tianeptine, kratom, or other drugs, has started to take over, recovery is possible. At New Life House, we understand that many people don’t set out to misuse substances like these. They’re often marketed as safe, legal, or even helpful, which makes it especially important to provide honest education and real support.
Our sober living in Los Angeles is a place to learn, unlearn, and rebuild. We focus on helping young men understand what these substances actually do, why they’re dangerous and addictive, and how to make safer, healthier choices moving forward. We also work closely with families, because education and support don’t stop with the individual.
At New Life House, recovery is supported through:
- Individualized programs that meet you where you are
- Family programming, therapy, and parent support groups to help loved ones understand substance use and recovery
- Educational programs focused on substances, addiction, relapse prevention, and life skills
- Community and peer support that builds accountability, connection, and long-term stability
Whether you’re a young adult trying to break free from substance use or a parent searching for answers and guidance, you don’t have to navigate this alone. With the right education, structure, and support, lasting recovery is possible, and help is here when you’re ready.
References
- Office of the Commissioner. (2025, May 8). New “Gas Station Heroin” Tianeptine Product Trend. U.S. Food And Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/health-fraud-scams/new-gas-station-heroin-tianeptine-product-trend
- Office of the Commissioner. (2025, May 9). Tianeptine Products Linked to Serious Harm, Overdoses, Death. U.S. Food And Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/tianeptine-products-linked-serious-harm-overdoses-death
- Edinoff, A. N., Sall, S., Beckman, S. P., Koepnick, A. D., Gold, L. C., Jackson, E. D., Wenger, D. M., Cornett, E. M., Murnane, K. S., Kaye, A. M., & Kaye, A. D. (2023). Tianeptine, an Antidepressant with Opioid Agonist Effects: Pharmacology and Abuse Potential, a Narrative Review. Pain and Therapy, 12(5), 1121–1134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40122-023-00539-5
- VCU Health. (2025, July 8). What you need to know about ‘gas station heroin’ | VCU Health. https://www.vcuhealth.org/news/what-you-need-to-know-about-gas-station-heroin/
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2022, May 27). Kratom. National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/kratom
- Kava: Usefulness and Safety. (n.d.). NCCIH. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/kava