Health
‘Gas station heroin’ is growing threat in New Jersey, health officials warn: ‘Dangerous and addictive’
A dangerous drug is causing a spike of illnesses in New Jersey, health officials warn — and in many cases, the drug is being sold on the shelves of corner convenience stores.
Neptune’s Elixir and ZaZa Red — also referred to as “gas station heroin” — are just two of the products that are being marketed as dietary supplements. They’re sold in gas stations and on the internet, according to a health alert from the New Jersey Department of Health.
Between June and Nov. 2023, there were 20 reported cases of tianeptine causing “severe clinical effects” in New Jersey, as noted in a Feb. 1 alert from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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This is a significant spike from the two or fewer calls the poison center typically receives each year.
What is tianeptine?
Tianeptine is a tricyclic antidepressant that has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Some companies market the drug as an aid for pain, anxiety and depression, or as a means of improving mental alertness.
Neptune’s Fix Elixir is one of the products being marketed as dietary supplements and sold in gas stations and online, according to a health alert from the New Jersey Department of Health. Fox News Digital reached out to Neptune Resources and others for comment. (FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs, Health Fraud Branch)
It is also sometimes billed as a “safer” alternative to opioids — but experts are warning that it has highly addictive and dangerous properties.
“Tianeptine interacts with opioid receptors in the brain, and in larger doses, can mimic the effects of traditional heroin such as euphoria, but also the consequences frequently associated with tolerance, withdrawal and toxicity,” Dr. David Campbell, clinical and program director of Recover Together Bend in Oregon, told Fox News Digital.
“With such ease of access, even kids are getting caught in the crossfire.”
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Tianeptine can be sold as a pill, powder, salt or in liquid form as a supplement — or as an active ingredient in a supplement — and is widely available in many states, noted Dr. Adam Scioli, corporate medical director and head of psychiatry at Caron Treatment Centers in Philadelphia.
“We have seen patients come in having gotten tianeptine over the internet or at gas stations,” Scioli told Fox News Digital. “They often suffer from withdrawal symptoms similar to those of an opioid withdrawal and often need medication-assisted treatment such as buprenorphine.”
“With such ease of access, even kids are getting caught in the crossfire,” an addiction specialist warned. (iStock)
“Why it is being sold commercially as an active ingredient in a supplement in everyday settings is beyond me.”
The widespread availability and ease of accessibility at gas stations, minimarts and smoke shops is one of the main reasons people seek it out, Scioli said.
“These are dangerous, addictive substances with potentially fatal outcomes.”
“There is also this ongoing misconception that if something is easily accessible, legal in some states and available, it is safe — which isn’t true of several substances, not just products that contain tianeptine,” Scioli warned.
“These are dangerous, addictive substances with potentially fatal outcomes.”
Dangers of tianeptine
Scioli called tianeptine a “substance of abuse” that can be addictive and fatal.
“Tricyclic antidepressants have what we call a narrow, therapeutic index, meaning that it is fairly easy to tip into the non-therapeutics/toxic range,” he said.
Among tianeptine’s significant and severe withdrawal symptoms, according to Campbell, are nausea, vomiting, confusion, flu-like symptoms, depression, anxiety, coma and even respiratory failure and overdose. (iStock)
“Tricyclic antidepressants in and of themselves can also cause seizures, electrolyte abnormality and death in overdose. Symptoms will be similar to an opioid withdrawal or overdose.”
Among tianeptine’s significant and severe withdrawal symptoms, according to Campbell, are nausea, vomiting, confusion, flu-like symptoms, depression, anxiety, coma and even respiratory failure and overdose.
Calls for regulation and awareness
In 2023, the FDA posted an alert warning of the dangers of Neptune’s Fix or any other product containing tianeptine.
“FDA has received severe adverse event reports after use of Neptune’s Fix products, including seizures and loss of consciousness leading to hospitalization,” the agency stated.
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“FDA considers tianeptine to be a substance that does not meet the statutory definition of a dietary ingredient and is an unsafe food additive. The FDA is aware of several serious adverse event reports associated with tianeptine.”
Scioli pointed out that several states — including Florida, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio — have made tianeptine illegal to sell.
“Despite that, companies are marketing and selling products containing tianeptine to consumers,” he warned.
In 2023, the FDA posted an alert warning of the dangers of Neptune’s Fix or any other product containing tianeptine. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo)
Campbell of Recover Together Bend in Oregon echoed the need for greater regulation of tianeptine.
“The FDA ought to be called upon to act now before the increasing use of this substance and other ‘gas station drugs’ leads to yet another drug epidemic in this country,” he said.
“Until the time comes when tianeptine is more strictly regulated or preferably banned, prevention and education must take center stage for parents, schools and other institutions to curtail the scope of underage use,” he added.
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Mark Stovall, regional executive director for American Addiction Centers in Mississippi, noted that the FDA has urged convenience stores, gas stations and other organizations to stop selling tianeptine products, but said there needs to be increased awareness of non-approved FDA drugs and supplements to prevent severe health risks and addictions.
“With such ease of access, even kids are getting caught in the crossfire.”
“If you have an inkling of gas station drugs being sold in the future, be empowered to apply community pressure,” Stovall advised in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“Take initiative by visiting your local gas station and ask them why they’re selling these addictive drugs. Explain the dangers and ask them to stop selling before more individuals are negatively impacted. Talk with your local law enforcement. Some local officials have already started to control these dangerous substances even without federal involvement.”
Anyone who is using tianeptine or a product containing tianeptine and is experiencing withdrawal symptoms should seek emergency medical assistance, experts say. (iStock)
The experts also urged parents and caregivers to be aware of the risk to kids and teens.
“With so many supplements and substances easily available to children through the internet and stores, it is imperative that parents, guardians and schools become educated — not just about the substances and their effects, but also about how to talk to children and teens about them,” said Scioli.
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“An open dialogue is imperative, especially with the proliferation of adulterated drugs sold online. With the overdose risk, there is no safe experimentation.”
On Jan. 28, 2024, Neptune Resources, LLC, the maker of Neptune’s Fix, issued a voluntary recall of its products due to the presence of tianeptine — but experts are warning that other products may also contain the drug.
Fox News Digital reached out to Neptune Resources, LLC — based in Kansas City, Missouri, according to the FDA’s announcement of the recall — as well as to MRSS Inc. (maker of ZaZa Red) and Super Chill Products, a New York-based distributor of Neptune’s products that has since issued a recall.
Comments were also requested from the FDA and the New Jersey Department of Health.
Experts urged parents and caregivers to be aware of the risk to kids and teens and to maintain an open dialogue. (iStock)
Anyone who is using tianeptine or a product containing tianeptine and is experiencing withdrawal symptoms can call the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or seek emergency medical assistance, experts advised.
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For women over 60, muscle strength plays a critical role in longevity, a new study confirms.
Researchers at the University at Buffalo, New York, followed more than 5,000 women between the ages of 63 and 99, finding that those with greater muscle strength had a significantly lower risk of death over an eight-year period.
The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
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Muscle function was measured using grip strength and how quickly participants could complete five unassisted sit-to-stand chair raises.
These are two tests commonly used in clinical settings to evaluate muscle function in older adults, the researchers noted.
A recent study shows that stronger muscle strength in women over 60 is linked to a lower risk of death over eight years. (iStock)
“In a community cohort of ambulatory older women, muscular strength was associated with significantly lower mortality rates, even when we accounted for usual physical activity and sedentary time measured using a wearable monitor, gait speed and blood C-reactive protein levels,” study lead author Michael LaMonte, research professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the University at Buffalo, told Fox News Digital.
“Movement is the key — just move more and sit less.”
Many earlier studies did not include those objective measurements, making it difficult to determine whether muscle strength itself was linked to longevity, according to LaMonte. “Our study was able to better isolate the association between strength and death in later life,” he added.
Even for women who don’t get the recommended amount of aerobic physical activity, which is at least 150 minutes per week, muscle strength remained important for longevity, the researchers found.
Women with greater muscle strength were more likely to live longer, even if they did not meet the recommended amount of aerobic exercise. (iStock)
“The findings of lower mortality in those who had higher strength but were not meeting current national guidelines on aerobic activity were somewhat intriguing,” LaMonte said.
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Federal guidelines recommend strengthening activities one to two days per week, targeting major muscle groups.
Resistance training does not have to require a gym membership, LaMonte noted. These exercises can be performed using free weights, resistance bands, bodyweight movements or even household items, such as soup cans.
Experts recommend working major muscle groups one or two days a week using weights, bands or bodyweight exercises. (iStock)
“Movement is the key — just move more and sit less,” he said. “When we can no longer get out of the chair and move around, we are in trouble.”
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LaMonte acknowledged several limitations of the study. The researchers assessed muscle strength in older age but did not explore how earlier levels in adulthood might influence long-term health outcomes.
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“We were not able to understand how strength and mortality relate in younger ages,” he said, noting that future research should explore whether building strength earlier could have an even greater impact on longevity.
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Compounds found in cannabis could provide a new roadmap for treating the world’s most common chronic liver disorder, according to a study released by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The research, published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, found that cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) significantly reduced liver fat and improved metabolic health in experimental models.
CBD is the more widely studied non-intoxicating cannabinoid, while CBG is a less common “precursor” cannabinoid from which CBD is formed.
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Unlike THC, the primary psychoactive component in cannabis, these compounds do not produce a “high,” making them viable candidates for long-term medical treatment, the study suggests.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) currently affects approximately one-third of the global adult population, according to health data.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) currently affects approximately one-third of the global adult population. (iStock)
The condition, which is closely linked to obesity and insulin resistance, has few approved pharmaceutical treatments, the researchers said, leaving patients to rely largely on lifestyle changes that can be difficult to maintain.
“Our findings identify a new mechanism by which CBD and CBG enhance hepatic energy and lysosomal function,” said lead study author Joseph Tam, director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Cannabinoid Research at Hebrew University, in a press release.
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The study highlights a process called “metabolic remodeling,” in which the cannabis compounds created a “backup battery” for the liver by increasing levels of phosphocreatine, a high-energy molecule stored in muscle cells.
This energy reserve helps the organ function under the stress of a high-fat diet, which was an unexpected discovery, the team noted.
Researchers focused on CBD and CBG, two non-psychoactive compounds that offer therapeutic benefits without the “high” associated with THC. (iStock)
The researchers also found that CBD and CBG restored the activity of “cellular cleaning crews” known as cathepsins, enzymes that work within the cell’s recycling centers to break down harmful fats and waste.
With this process, the liver was better able to clear out dangerous lipids, including triglycerides and ceramides, which are known to trigger inflammation, the study showed.
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While both compounds were effective, CBG showed more robust results in certain areas, such as reducing total body fat mass, lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol and improving insulin sensitivity.
Researchers say this study opens a new path for using plant-based compounds to treat metabolic diseases by focusing on how cells manage energy and waste.
The discovery of a phosphocreatine “backup battery” in the liver marks a significant shift in how scientists understand the organ’s ability to survive high-fat diets. (iStock)
Limitations and caveats
Despite the promising results, the research team cautioned that the study was conducted in a controlled experimental environment. Further clinical trials are necessary to determine the proper application for human patients.
Other recent studies have pointed to potential issues with using cannabis as a medical tool.
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A major analysis published in JAMA examined more than 2,500 scientific papers from the last 15 years, including other reviews, clinical trials and guidelines focused on medical marijuana.
The 2025 review highlighted significant gaps between public perception and scientific evidence regarding cannabis’ effectiveness for most medical conditions.
Other recent studies have pointed to issues with the efficacy of cannabis as a medical tool. (iStock)
The researchers concluded that there are very few conditions for which cannabinoid therapies have clear, well-established benefits backed by high-quality clinical data.
“Whenever a substance is widely used, there is likely to be a very wide set of outcomes,” Alex Dimitriu, MD, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, previously told Fox News Digital. “This study points to the reality that this widely used substance is not a panacea.”
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The strongest evidence supports FDA-approved cannabinoid medications for treating specific conditions, including HIV/AIDS-related appetite loss, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and certain severe pediatric seizure disorders, according to the review.
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Anyone interested in using marijuana for medical purposes should speak to a healthcare provider to discuss potential risks and benefits.
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While cannabis has recently come under fire for potential negative health risks, a recent study suggests that its use could increase brain volume and cognitive fitness.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus analyzed cannabis usage, brain scans and cognitive test results for more than 26,000 adults between the ages of 40 and 77, using data from the UK biobank.
The study found that cannabis users — particularly those who reported moderate lifetime usage — showed larger volumes in several brain regions.
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“Compared to individuals with no history of cannabis use, those who reported using cannabis showed larger volumes in several brain regions characterized by a high density of cannabinoid (CB1) receptors — regions involved in processes such as memory, information processing and emotion regulation,” lead study author Anika Guha, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, told Fox News Digital.
A recent study suggests that cannabis use could increase brain volume and cognitive fitness. (iStock)
The cannabis users also scored better on cognitive tests that measured learning, processing speed and executive function.
This outcome differs from many previous studies, which have focused on short-term cognitive impairment during or shortly after cannabis use, the researcher pointed out.
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“These findings suggest that the relationship between cannabis and the brain may differ across the lifespan, and that moderate use in mid-to-later adulthood may be associated with positive brain health outcomes,” Guha said.
Not all areas of the brain showed positive effects among cannabis users. The posterior cingulate, which is involved in self-reflection and memory, had lower volume with higher marijuana use.
“The takeaway is not that people should start using more cannabis based on these findings alone.”
As cannabis has been rising in popularity among all ages, this type of study is important for understanding its long-term effects and the pros and cons of use, according to Matt Glowiak, Ph.D., chief addiction specialist with Recovered, an organization that provides information and resources for mental health and addiction treatment.
The drug’s effects likely depend on factors such as age, dose, frequency, product composition and individual vulnerability. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
“Given the connection between cannabis use and larger brain volume, it is believed that it may help [older] individuals retain cognitive function that might otherwise naturally decline,” Chicago-based Glowiak, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“This is a huge benefit, but one we need to explore a bit further, ahead of encouraging those who would otherwise not consider integrating cannabis into their healthcare regimen.”
Limitations and caveats
As the study was observational in nature, it could not prove that cannabis use improves brain health — instead, it only showed an association, according to Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, who was not involved in the study.
“The preponderance of previous evidence does not line up with improved cognitive function from chronic cannabis use,” Siegel told Fox News Digital. “This study is an outlier, and though it cannot be ignored, it is not justification for use.”
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The study also relied on the UK Biobank, which offers a “large and rich dataset,” Guha said — but it is limited to the questions that were originally posed to the participants.
“In particular, we have only a broad measure of how many times someone has used cannabis over their lifetime,” she said. “We do not have access to details about how they used cannabis, such as whether they smoked or used edibles, the type or potency of cannabis, or when in their life they used most heavily.”
Cannabis users scored better in learning, processing speed and executive function. (iStock)
“Those details likely matter a great deal for understanding how cannabis affects the aging brain.”
Given these limitations, Guha suggests that the findings should be seen as an early indicator that cannabis use may be related to brain aging, “and as a starting point for more targeted research that can tease apart these relationships.”
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“The takeaway is not that people should start using more cannabis based on these findings alone,” she emphasized. “While cannabis may have potential benefits in some contexts, a substantial body of research also documents important risks, underscoring that cannabis is neither completely beneficial nor completely harmful.”
The drug’s effects likely depend on factors such as age, dose, frequency, product composition and individual vulnerability, according to Guha.
“Given the widespread use and legalization of cannabis, it would be great to know that it is net-positive for brain health — however, this feels too good to be true, and too early to claim,” one expert said. (AP)
“As with any substance, individuals should consult with a healthcare provider before initiating use, particularly if they have a history of mental health concerns, as THC (the primary psychoactive component of cannabis) can exacerbate symptoms such as psychosis in vulnerable individuals,” she added.
Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, reiterated that this study is an “outlier,” as most previous research has shown “detrimental effects” from cannabis use.
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“Given the widespread use and legalization of cannabis, it would be great to know that it is net-positive for brain health — however, this feels too good to be true, and too early to claim,” he said. “I would advise proceeding with caution and moderation.”
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Dimitriu agreed that more large-scale studies and review papers are needed to get a “clearer picture.”
“What this cannabis study shows is that there may be conflicting information, which warrants more investigation.”
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