Tianeptine, a Drug of Pharmacological and Legal Contradictions

If you are confused about federal and state drug laws, it isn’t just because you need to do fewer drugs.  The laws make little sense, and sometimes they even contradict each other directly.  For example, cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance at the federal level, which means that it is always an illegal drug and never a pharmaceutical therapy.  Despite this, Florida has a robust statewide medical cannabis program, and the most populous cities and counties in Florida have even decriminalized possession of small quantities of cannabis for recreational use.  Even though psilocybin mushrooms remain Schedule I in Florida, other states have allowed for their recreational or medical use.  Tianeptine, a poorly understood drug with a complicated history, has the opposite problem.  Federal laws are almost entirely silent about the legal status of tianeptine, but some states, including Florida, have declared it a controlled substance and outlawed the possession and sale of it.  If your long list of drug-related legal problems includes tianeptine, contact a Florida drug offenses attorney.

Why Is Gas Station Heroin at the Gas Station, and What Does It Have to Do With Heroin?

Tianeptine is a synthetic drug with a chemical structure similar to the tricyclic antidepressants that were the most common treatments for clinical depression before the discovery of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac.  Before the 1980s, it was commonly prescribed in several other countries, but it never received approval for pharmaceutical use in the United States.

Meanwhile, tianeptine became a prized recreational drug.  Users report that its effects are similar to opioids; unfortunately, so are its withdrawal symptoms.  Although United States law prohibits the use of tianeptine in dietary supplements, it still sometimes appears as an adulterant in over-the-counter stimulants, hence its nickname “gas station heroin.”  Lawmakers have introduced legislation to classify tianeptine as a Schedule III controlled substance, which would give it the same legal status as anabolic steroids and ketamine, but those laws have floundered, so as of 2025, tianeptine is not a controlled substance at the federal level.

Meanwhile, tianeptine abuse continued, along with at least two fatal overdoses in the United States.  Online discussion boards bear witness to the ordeal of tianeptine addicts who buy the powder online, or else in gas stations in supplement form, and the result is an experience similar to opioid addiction.  Several states have criminalized tianeptine, including Florida.  Toward the end of 2023, a Florida law went into effect that categorizes tianeptine as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Tianeptine may be more prevalent in the drug supply than we realize.  If you buy a drug powder that you think contains cocaine or MDMA, for example, you might be surprised when the crime lab tests it, and it turns out to be positive for tianeptine.

Contact FL Drug Defense Group About Drug Cases

A Central Florida criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges for possession of tianeptine.  Contact FL Drug Defense Group in Orlando, Florida to discuss your case.

Source:

npr.org/2024/07/12/nx-s1-4865955/tianeptine-gas-station-heroin-drug