Tianeptine, also known as “gas station heroin,” is officially off the market—at least in Florida. The Sunshine State recently joined eight other US states in forbidding sales of the over the counter pill, citing concerns for its high potential of abuse and addictive properties. Florida’s attorney general issued an emergency ban in September after an increasing number of calls to the state’s Poison Control Center in the first half of 2023.
This important hormone can contribute to addictive behavior by changing neural connectivity to reinforce an activity that brings feelings of pleasure and euphoria. The drug increases opioid activity in the brain, a similar mechanism of action seen in heroin. What are the dangers of using tianeptine? Consumers are usually taking a gamble when they buy tianeptine products because they can’t know for sure how much of the drug they’re getting.