PIERRE, S.D. — The South Dakota House Health and Human Services Committee has approved legislation aimed at restricting access to tianeptine, a synthetic substance often referred to by public health officials as “gas station heroin.”
House Bill 1162 would add tianeptine and several other compounds to South Dakota’s Schedule I controlled substances list. Schedule I substances are defined as having a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety standards.
Tianeptine is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for medical use in the United States but has been sold in convenience stores, smoke shops, and online marketplaces nationwide. The substance interacts with opioid receptors and has been linked to addiction, severe withdrawal symptoms, overdoses, and deaths.
Federal health agencies have issued warnings about tianeptine, citing a rise in poison control center cases and adverse medical events. Reported effects include respiratory depression, cardiovascular complications, and symptoms resembling opioid toxicity and withdrawal.
Several states have moved to ban or restrict tianeptine in recent years, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee.
Supporters of HB 1162 say the bill would provide regulatory clarity and help prevent potentially dangerous substances from being marketed as legal alternatives. The measure now advances to the full House for consideration.
Emily’s Hope advocates for substance use prevention policies and public awareness initiatives across South Dakota.
