WTAE reported that a Fayette County woman died after overdosing on tianeptine, which is widely known as “gas station heroin.” Since it isn’t considered a controlled substance in Pennsylvania, tianeptine is available for sale without a prescription and is frequently sold in gas stations and vape shops.
In July 2025, the FDA issued a warning about the dangers of tianeptine. So far, 15 states have made tianeptine illegal. The Pennsylvania General Assembly is currently considering legislation that would restrict tianeptine sales. Representative Andrew Kuzma introduced House Bill 377 of 2025. Under that proposed law, tianeptine would be classified as a controlled substance that could only be administered by a person who is licensed to dispense controlled substances.
Photo by FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs, Health Fraud Branch
Bickerton Law Blog Lawyer’s Perspective: “It looks like the bill that’s pending would make tianeptine legal with a prescription. That’s different from the way the law treats Schedule I or II drugs. For a Schedule I drug, there is no acceptable medical use for that substance. Cocaine is considered to be a Schedule I drug. For a Schedule II drug, medical use is allowed, but it’s highly regulated and restricted because they have a high potential for abuse and dependence. Oxycontin and fentanyl are considered Schedule II drugs. Other scheduled drugs don’t have as high of a risk of abuse or dependence but are still restricted. Drug scheduling is done by the federal government. So far, the federal government hasn’t taken action to schedule tianeptine. With HB 377, tianeptine would be treated like a Schedule II drug in Pennsylvania.” —Lea Bickerton
Key Takeaways:
- For the first time, a person in Fayette County, Pa died from an overdose of tianeptine
- Pennsylvania’s legislature is currently considering a law that would make tianeptine a controlled substance
