The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to buy or use Neptune’s Fix or any other tianeptine products, which are commonly known as “gas station heroin.” The opioid-like products are linked to serious side effects, including seizures, loss of consciousness and death, but are still often found online, at gas stations and convenience stores.
Kristi Terry’s son Johnathon Morrison died after taking tianeptine he bought at a gas station. The 19-year-old scholarship student choked on his own vomit, according to an autopsy report obtained by VICE News.
“He had no clue what he was taking,” Terry told VICE News. “They told him that it was all natural, herbal, and that it was like a powerful Tylenol.”
As Emily’s Hope reported last year, several states now ban the sale of tianeptine products. The FDA also sent out a warning in November that the dangerous substance is not FDA-approved for any medical use but is illegally sold with claims to improve brain function and treat anxiety, depression, pain, opioid use disorder and other conditions. Despite the warning, the FDA continues to receive reports about adverse effects from tianeptine.
Neptune Resources, LLC has agreed to voluntarily recall all lots of Neptune’s Fix Elixir, Neptune’s Fix Extra Strength Elixir and Neptune’s Fix Tablets to consumers. The FDA has also sent a letter to convenience stores, gas stations and other organizations urging them to stop selling tianeptine-containing products.