What Are Gas Station Drugs? The Truth About 7-OH, Kratom, and Other Substances

A legal-looking product can still carry serious risks. Seeing something sold openly at a gas station or smoke shop can make it seem safer than it is. However, gas station drugs include substances such as concentrated 7-OH and tianeptine, which can produce opioid-like effects and lead to dependence, withdrawal, or overdose. If someone you love is using one of these products, knowing what they contain and how they affect the body can help you recognize when holistic addiction treatment can help.

Why Are These Products Still Sold at Gas Stations and Smoke Shops?

Seeing a substance on a store shelf does not mean the FDA has approved it or considers it safe. Some products continue to appear in gas stations, smoke shops, and online stores even as federal agencies take action against how they are made, labeled, or sold. This is one reason a new drug at gas stations can become widely available before its risks are clear to the public.

The FDA states that concentrated 7-OH cannot lawfully be added to dietary supplements or conventional foods. Tianeptine is also not FDA-approved for any medical use in the United States and cannot legally be marketed as a dietary supplement. Kratom has not been approved by the FDA for any medical use either.

Gas station drugs can remain available even as regulators respond to new safety concerns.

Federal action is also changing. In July 2026, the DEA began the process of temporarily placing concentrated 7-OH above a specified threshold, along with several related substances, into Schedule I. This proposed action focuses on concentrated 7-OH products rather than the small amounts of 7-OH naturally present in kratom.

The term synthetic drugs sold at gas stations can cover substances with very different ingredients and effects. Seeing a product on a retail shelf does not prove that it is safe, approved, or free from the risk of dependence.

What’s Actually in Gas Station Drugs?

The term does not refer to one specific substance. So, what is the gas station drug people are talking about? The answer can vary, but the substances most often connected to current concerns include:

1. 7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine)
2. Kratom
3. Tianeptine

Defensiveness can appear when use of a gas station drug becomes harder to control.

7-OH (7-Hydroxymitragynine)

7-OH is a psychoactive compound that occurs naturally in kratom in very small amounts. The main concern today is not those trace levels, but products made with much higher concentrations of 7-OH. These products may come as tablets, gummies, powders, or shots and can produce strong opioid-like effects. Because the concentration can be far higher than what occurs naturally in kratom leaf, the effects may also feel much stronger and develop more quickly than someone expects.

When news reports mention a new gas station drug, they may be referring to these concentrated 7-OH products. Repeated use can lead to tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal, while higher amounts can increase the risk of serious health effects. Because 7-OH acts on opioid receptors, your loved one may begin using more, hiding their use, or becoming defensive when you ask about it. These changes can be very similar to the warning signs of fentanyl addiction, especially when use becomes harder to control.

Kratom

Kratom comes from the Mitragyna speciosa plant and contains several active compounds, including mitragynine and small amounts of 7-OH. Traditional kratom products generally contain far less 7-OH than the concentrated products that have recently raised federal concern. People may find kratom as powders, capsules, extracts, or drinks, and the strength can differ depending on the product and how it was made. That variation can make it difficult to know exactly how much of the active compounds someone is taking.

Lower concentrations do not make kratom harmless. Its compounds interact with opioid receptors, and regular use can lead to tolerance, cravings, dependence, and withdrawal in some people. Someone who uses it often may gradually increase the amount or begin relying on it to manage mood, energy, pain, or discomfort. If your loved one is using kratom, pay attention to changes in frequency, amount, and behavior rather than assuming every product labeled as kratom has the same strength or effects.

Tianeptine

Tianeptine was developed as an antidepressant and is prescribed in some countries. However, the FDA has not approved it for any medical use in the United States. At high doses, it can produce opioid-like effects. It has also been linked to dependence, severe withdrawal, slowed breathing, overdose, and death. The risks increase when people take very large amounts or combine it with other substances that affect the central nervous system.

Some people call it “gas station heroin” because products containing it have appeared in gas stations and other retail stores. Ordinary packaging can make the risks less obvious. Some labels may even present the product as a supplement or everyday consumer item. With repeated use, a person may take it more often or need larger amounts. They may also feel unwell when they stop. These changes can point to growing dependence.

Ordinary-looking products can still cause serious harm.

Why These Products Are More Dangerous Than They Look

The packaging can make gas station drugs seem no different from other products sold near the register. A tablet, gummy, powder, or small bottle may look familiar, but that appearance tells you very little about what the product may do to the body. FDA warnings about concentrated 7-OH and tianeptine show that products sold in ordinary retail settings can still carry serious risks.

Several factors make these substances especially concerning:

• The strength may be difficult to judge. Concentrated 7-OH products can contain much more 7-OH than kratom. The FDA warns about enhanced 7-OH products, including gummies and drink shots sold in gas stations and smoke shops.
• The marketing can make the risk seem smaller. Words such as “natural,” “herbal,” “supplement,” or “nootropic” may create the impression that a product is mild. Tianeptine, for example, has been marketed in these ways even though the FDA has not approved it for medical use.
• Tolerance and dependence can develop. With repeated use, a person may need larger or more frequent amounts to get the same effect. FDA has linked both concentrated 7-OH and tianeptine use with dependence and withdrawal.
• Serious physical effects can occur. High-dose tianeptine use has been associated with slowed breathing, loss of consciousness, overdose, and death, while federal officials have also raised serious concerns about concentrated 7-OH products.

Withdrawal is another reason you should not underestimate these products. Once the body has adapted to repeated opioid-like effects, stopping can bring sweating, nausea, restlessness, sleep problems, body aches, and changes in mood. These symptoms can also change during the hours and days after use stops. When you get familiar with the fentanyl withdrawal symptoms and timeline, you will better recognize how opioid withdrawal can progress and why a worsening reaction in your loved one deserves attention.

A new gas station drug may look harmless because of where it is sold, but easy access does not reduce its potential to cause dependence or serious harm.

Recognizing a Problem With These Substances

Dependence does not always become obvious right away. A gas station drug may come in familiar packaging and be easy to buy, which can make regular use seem less concerning at first. The problem often becomes clearer when your loved one’s behavior starts changing or they struggle to function without the product. Pay attention to these signs:

• Making frequent trips to the same gas station or smoke shop. You may notice repeated stops mainly to buy the product.
• Taking the product more often or in larger amounts. Increasing use can be a sign that tolerance is developing.
• Saying they need it to feel normal or get through the day. They may rely on it for mood, sleep, energy, or to avoid feeling unwell.
• Becoming irritable, restless, sweaty, or nauseated when they cannot use it. These changes may point to withdrawal.
• Having trouble sleeping when the product is unavailable. Restlessness or poor sleep can appear when use stops.
• Hiding purchases or becoming defensive when you ask about their use. Secretive behavior can signal that use is becoming harder to control.
• Trying to cut back but returning to the substance. Repeated failed attempts to stop can be a strong sign of dependence.

This pattern can be easy to miss when a substance is openly available or appears legitimate. The same problem helps explain why prescription drug addiction often goes unnoticed: people may focus on where a substance came from rather than on how their relationship with it has changed.

Therapy can help address dependence and the reasons behind continued use.

If Someone You Love Is Using These Substances

If someone you love is using gas station drugs, you do not need to know every ingredient before taking the situation seriously. Dependence, withdrawal, and compulsive use can still require professional care. Bridging the Gaps provides prescription drug addiction treatment Virginia programs and support for people struggling with other dependence-forming substances. A careful assessment can clarify what is happening and what level of care may help. Contact our admissions team for a confidential conversation about your loved one’s needs.