BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Doctors and local drug recovery groups are warning about a dangerous product known as “gas station heroin.” The drug, tianeptine, was banned in Alabama in 2021, but it is still being sold at some convenience stores in Jefferson County.
Often marketed under names like “Zaza,” “Tiana,” “Red Dawn” and “Neptune Fix,” the product is sometimes displayed near store checkout counters, giving the impression it is harmless. Medical experts stress that tianeptine is a controlled substance and poses serious health risks.
KJ Thomas, who works at a recovery center, described how the drug can trigger relapse in people struggling with addiction.
“They used to be a heroin addict, but then once they went through recovery and the Za Za Red came out as a substitute, they found a loophole,” Thomas said. “Life got better, then it took the same turn. They lost their job, their family. The cycle started all over again.”
Dr. William Rushton, an emergency medical toxicologist at UAB, emphasized that buying the drug at a gas station does not make it safe.
“It’s a controlled substance in Alabama. If you see it on the shelves, alert your local authorities. It’s illegal, and it should be illegal,” Rushton said. “This stuff is super dangerous. Most people think, ‘I’m getting it from the gas station, it must be harmless,’ and that is definitely not the case when it comes to tianeptine.”…