Less than a week after Congress pushed the federal agency to take action against the use of tianeptine, sometimes known as “gas station heroin,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a fresh warning against the purchase or use of any items containing the drug.

Some countries have approved tianeptine as an antidepressant; the United States does not. Under the pretense of being a supplement for health enhancement, it is nevertheless offered for sale here under brands including Neptune’s Fix, Tianna, and Zaza both online and at convenience stores and gas stations.

The FDA issued a warning over tianeptine products in November, particularly those from Neptune’s Fix. As of late Tuesday, the federal agency reported that it was still receiving reports of the products’ negative effects, which included death, seizures, and loss of consciousness.

Not only are they still occurring, but tianeptine-related adverse reactions and unintended side effects are being reported more frequently across the country. The FDA reports that the number of cases at poison control centers climbed from just 13 in 2000 to 151 in 2020.

Authorities claim that because tianeptine drugs are frequently marketed by marketers as ways to “improve brain function and treat anxiety, depression, pain, opioid use disorder, and other conditions,” customers are more likely to acquire them.

However, the FDA cautions that the drugs may have negative interactions and interactions with other medications in a patient’s body, such as other antidepressants or anxiety meds.

The CDC also cites research demonstrating that the toxicity and withdrawal symptoms of opioids can be mimicked by tianeptine misuse and withdrawal. This argument was also made in a letter dated January 18 that was signed by five members of the House from both parties, pleading with the FDA to tighten regulations on tianeptine because of its “opioid-like qualities.”

According to the FDA, those who have previously used or become dependent on opioids may be more likely to abuse tianeptine. Abuse of this medication can have a number of negative effects, such as sleepiness, a fast heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, vomiting, delayed or halted breathing, and more.

“People seeking to treat their ailments sometimes mistake a product as being safe because it’s easily available, whether online or even at gas stations,” the FDA said. “But availability is no indication of effectiveness or safety. This is especially true of tianeptine, an unapproved drug associated with serious health risks and even death.”

The FDA said on Tuesday that Neptune Resources, the company that makes Neptune’s Fix, has decided to voluntarily recall three of its tianeptine products, despite the FDA’s policy of not approving dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness prior to their sale to the general public. It further stated that on January 11, it wrote to convenience stores, petrol stations, and other establishments, pleading with them to discontinue carrying Neptune’s Fix and any other products containing tianeptine.