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Connecticut has officially banned tianeptine, drug widely known as "gas station heroin," along with six other dangerous substances, making it one of 14 states to classify the tricyclic antidepressant as a Schedule I controlled substance.
Attorney General William Tong and Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli announced the ban at a press conference. Effective Wednesday (March 25), tianeptine, kratom, 7-OH, bromazolam, flubromazolam, nitazenes, and phenibut are now designated as Schedule I controlled substances in Connecticut.
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Schedule I substances have "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse."
Businesses still selling any of the banned products must remove them from shelves immediately. Tong made clear that his office is watching closely.
"As of Wednesday, it will be illegal to possess, manufacture, sell, or distribute these drugs, including kratom and tianeptine, sometimes referred to as gas station heroin," Tong told WTIC before the ban went into effect. "These products are unsafe, untested, and if you see them, do not purchase them and call the police."
Commissioner Cafferelli emphasized that the products were "never regulated, tested, or otherwise deemed safe for human consumption, but have been marketed as health products, misleading people to assume they are safe when, in fact, they are addictive, have a high potential for misuse, and pose a serious threat to public health and safety."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has long warned consumers against using kratom, citing serious risks including liver toxicity and seizures. The plant-based substance is sold in many forms, including pills and tea, and is often marketed as a treatment for pain, anxiety, and opioid withdrawal.
Enforcement is expected to ramp up across the state in the coming days as authorities monitor compliance among retailers and distributors.