Kentucky has become the latest state to ban tianeptine, an antidepressant known as “gas station heroin” that’s causing extreme addiction and withdrawals in some users because it hits opioid receptors in the brain.
In a news release on Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the emergency ban that makes all tianeptine products a Schedule I substance in the state. The law makes it illegal to sell or possess tianeptine—violating it would be punishable with fines or jail time.
Videos by VICE
“Until now, someone looking for a heroin-like high could walk into certain places or buy this harmful product online. We’re committed to protecting Kentuckians from this kind of harm, and if someone is struggling with abuse, we’re here to help,” Beshear said in the release.
CALLOUT: Have you been impacted by a tianeptine ban? Or are you an addictions expert helping people hooked on tianeptine? Contact manisha.krishnan@vice.com to share your story.
While tianeptine is a regulated antidepressant in some European and Latin American countries, it’s not approved for medical use in the U.S. It’s sold in unregulated forms as a supplement, often in smoke shops and gas stations under brand names like Zaza, Tianna, TD Red, and Pegasus.
Withdrawal symptoms from tianeptine include nausea, restless legs, insomnia, chills, agitation, and anxiety. Several users have told VICE News the drug wears off very quickly, with withdrawal symptoms setting in a couple of hours after taking the drug.
According to the FDA, tianeptine use has been linked to overdoses and even death. The agency said vendors are “making dangerous and unproven claims that tianeptine can improve brain function and treat anxiety, depression, pain, opioid use disorder, and other conditions.”
Before Kentucky’s ban, Ohio’s governor also issued an emergency order to ban tianeptine in December, citing VICE News’ reporting, and Mississippi legislators also recently voted to ban the drug. It’s also illegal in Michigan, Alabama, Minnesota, Tennessee, Georgia, and Indiana.
Follow Manisha Krishnan on Twitter.
