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.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
Hundreds of deadly virus samples are missing from a laboratory in Australia, the Queensland government announced on Monday.
The government has instructed Queensland Health — Australia’s public health department — to launch an investigation into what’s being described as a “major historical breach of biosecurity protocols,” according to the online media statement.
It was reported that 323 vials of multiple infectious viruses — including Hendra virus, Lyssavirus and Hantavirus — went missing from Queensland’s Public Health Virology Laboratory in August 2023.
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Hendra is a zoonotic (animal-to-human) virus that has only been found in Australia.
Hantavirus is a family of viruses that can lead to serious illness and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while Lyssavirus is a group of viruses that can cause rabies.
Hundreds of deadly virus samples are missing from a laboratory in Australia, the Queensland government announced. (iStock)
The lab where the samples went missing provides “diagnostic services, surveillance and research for viruses and mosquito and tick-borne pathogens of medical importance,” the release stated.
It is not known whether the infectious samples were stolen or destroyed, the statement said, and there is “no evidence of risk to the community.”
The government has launched a “Part 9 investigation.”
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“With such a serious breach of biosecurity protocols and infectious virus samples potentially missing, Queensland Health must investigate what occurred and how to prevent it from happening again,” Minister Timothy Nicholls said in the release.
“The Part 9 investigation will ensure nothing has been overlooked in responding to this incident and examine the current policies and procedures in operation today at the laboratory.”
“This investigation will also consider regulatory compliance and staff conduct.”
The Lyssavirus family contains the rabies virus, which is almost universally fatal in humans if they do not receive treatment in time. (iStock)
Nicholls added that Queensland Health has taken “proactive measures,” including retraining staff on required regulations and conducting audits to ensure correct storage of materials.
Sam Scarpino, PhD, director of AI and life sciences at Northeastern University in Boston, confirmed that the situation in Australia amounts to a “critical biosecurity lapse.”
“Given the limited ability for any of these pathogens to transmit from person to person, the risk of an epidemic is very low.”
“The pathogens reported missing are all high-consequence and could pose a threat to the public,” he told Fox News Digital.
The three pathogens can have very high fatality rates in humans, Scarpino said, but they do not transmit readily from person to person.
Hendra is a zoonotic (animal-to-human) virus that has only been found in Australia. (iStock)
“Some hantaviruses have case fatality rates of up to 15%, or over 100 times more lethal than COVID-19, while others are more similar to COVID-19 in terms of severity,” he said.
There is also a high risk to animals and livestock from all three pathogens, he added.
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The Lyssavirus family contains the rabies virus, which is almost universally fatal in humans if they do not receive treatment in time, the expert noted.
“Given the limited ability for any of these pathogens to transmit from person to person, the risk of an epidemic is very low,” Scarpino said.
“It’s clear that we need quite a bit more investment and transparency related to pathogen biosecurity,” one expert said. (iStock)
“However, Hendra virus — along with certain members of the Hantavirus and Lyssavirus family — can be very severe in humans and animals.”
Chief Health Officer Dr. John Gerrard reiterated in the media statement that there is no evidence of public risk.
“It’s important to note that virus samples would degrade very rapidly outside a low temperature freezer and become non-infectious,” he said.
“It’s very unlikely that samples were discarded in general waste, as this would be completely outside routine laboratory practice.”
Hantavirus is a family of viruses that can lead to serious illness and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (iStock)
There have been no human cases of Hendra or Lyssavirus in Queensland over the past five years, Gerrard noted, and no confirmed Hantavirus infections “ever in Australia.”
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Despite the low risk, Scarpino said, “It’s important to understand where these samples ended up, to confirm that there is no longer a risk of exposure.”
“While I applaud the Australian government for taking this seriously, it’s unacceptable that it took over a year for news of the breach to be made public.”
“The pathogens reported missing are all high-consequence.”
There have been similarly high-profile biosecurity lapses in the U.S., Scarpino noted.
“It’s clear that we need quite a bit more investment and transparency related to pathogen biosecurity,” he added.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
Fox News Digital reached out to the Queensland government requesting further comment.
Fentanyl has made headlines for driving overdose deaths, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning of the rise of an even deadlier drug.
Last year, nearly 70% of all U.S. overdose deaths were attributed to illegally manufactured fentanyls (IMFs). One of those was carfentanil, an altered version of fentanyl that is said to be 100 times more potent, the CDC warned in a Dec. 5 alert.
Deaths from carfentanil rose by more than 700% in the past year, according to the same source — there were 29 deadly overdoses between January and June 2023, and 238 in that same time frame in 2024.
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This data came from the CDC’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS).
The numbers could actually be higher, as the 2024 data is preliminary and not all overdose deaths have been reported, the agency noted.
Carfentanil, an altered version of fentanyl that is said to be 100 times more potent, the CDC warned in a Dec. 5 alert. (iStock)
Since an outbreak of carfentanil-linked deaths in 2016 and 2016, the drug had “largely disappeared” until this recent reemergence, the CDC noted.
Based on the increase in fatal overdoses, the CDC is calling for “rigorous monitoring” of carfentanil and other opioids more potent than fentanyl.
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As with other illicit drugs, its “high profitability” likely drives its prevalence, according to Dr. Chris Tuell, clinical director of addiction services at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
“Very small amounts can produce thousands of doses,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Synthetic opioids like carfentanil are relatively easy to manufacture in illicit labs,” Tuell went on. “Since the drug is a synthetic, it is easier to produce — unlike heroin, which is dependent on a plant like opium.”
Why is carfentanil so dangerous?
Carfentanil is 10,000 more times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, Tuell confirmed.
“Even a small amount can be fatal, as it can cause respiratory failure,” he said.
Carfentanil can sometimes be in the form of “pressed pills” that resemble prescription medications, the expert said. (iStock)
One of the major concerns with carfentanil and fentanyl is that they are frequently mixed with other drugs, such as benzodiazepines, cocaine and opioids, which can lead to accidental overdoses, according to Tuell.
“Carfentanil can also resemble cocaine and heroin, so it blends right in with the other drugs,” he warned.
“Even a small amount can be fatal, as it can cause respiratory failure.”
“Even a tiny amount can increase the potency of a drug mixture, leading to a stronger and longer-lasting high.”
Carfentanil often appeals to drug users who have a high tolerance to opioids because they seek a stronger substance, “making the drug attractive despite the risk,” Tuell noted.
How is the drug administered?
Carfentanil can be injected and is frequently mixed with other opioids or heroin, Tuell said. In a powder form, it can be inhaled.
“Inhaling the drug can be quickly risky because it can enter the bloodstream, resulting in an overdose,” Tuell warned. “This can happen intentionally or accidentally, as the drug can become easily airborne.”
Carfentanil can be injected and is frequently mixed with other opioids or heroin, an addiction specialist warned. (iStock)
Carfentanil can sometimes be in the form of “pressed pills” that resemble prescription medications, the expert said.
“Carfentanil can be lethal at the 2-milligram range depending on the route of administration,” he cautioned.
What parents should know
“Children are now the generation of artificial intelligence and deepfakes, as illicit drugs are posing like regular prescription medications,” Tuell cautioned.
To help protect kids from the dangers of illicit drugs, the expert emphasized the importance of open communication and education.
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“Educate your child about the dangers and risks of drug use, including synthetic opioids like carfentanil,” he advised.
Parents should provide monitoring and supervision of their children, be aware of their social circles and limit unsupervised online activities, Tuell recommended.
Based on the increase in fatal overdoses, the CDC is calling for “rigorous monitoring” of carfentanil and other opioids more potent than fentanyl. (iStock)
“I also believe it is important that parents realize that 84% of individuals with a substance use disorder also have a co-occurring mental health issue,” he added.
“Seeking out mental health services for your child could help address the underlying issues that may have led to a substance use disorder.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
The CDC called for specific efforts in preventing deaths from illegally manufactured fentanyls, “such as maintaining and improving distribution of risk reduction tools, increasing access to and retention of treatment for substance use disorders, and preventing drug use initiation.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for comment.
December 9th, 2024
To Members of the United States Senate:
We, the undersigned Nobel Laureates, are writing to ask you to
oppose the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
The proposal to place Mr. Kennedy in charge of the federal agencies
responsible for protecting the health of American citizens and for
conducting the medical research that benefits our country and the
rest of humanity has been widely criticized on multiple grounds. In
addition to his lack of credentials or relevant experience in
medicine, science, public health, or administration, Mr. Kennedy has
been an opponent of many health-protecting and life-saving
vaccines, such as those that prevent measles and polio; a critic of
the well-established positive effects of fluoridation of drinking
water; a promoter of conspiracy theories about remarkably
successful treatments for AIDS and other diseases; and a belligerent
critic of respected agencies (especially the Food and Drug
Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and the National
Institutes of Health). The leader of DHHS should continue to nurture
and improve— not threaten—these important and highly respected
institutions and their employees.
In view of his record, placing Mr. Kennedy in charge of DHHS would
put the public’s health in jeopardy and undermine America’s global
leadership in the health sciences, in both the public and commercial
sectors.
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