Copy or download this sample letter to send to your state or federal lawmakers.
[Your Name] [Your Email / City / State] [Date] To the Honorable Members of [State Legislature or U.S. Congress]: As a concerned [parent / pharmacist / healthcare professional / citizen], I am writing to urge immediate action to prohibit the sale of tianeptine, a dangerous synthetic opioid marketed as a dietary supplement or “mood enhancer.” Often sold under names like ZaZa, Neptune’s Fix, and Pegasus, tianeptine has been linked to severe dependence, overdose, and death. ⸻ Tianeptine’s Pharmacology and Abuse Although advertised as an antidepressant in some countries, tianeptine acts as a potent μ-opioid receptor agonist — similar to oxycodone or heroin. When taken in large doses, it produces opioid-like euphoria and withdrawal. Users often believe it is a “safe alternative,” but it carries the same risks as prescription opioids, including respiratory depression and fatal overdose. ⸻ Public-Health Data and Reported Harms • U.S. poison centers have documented a surge in tianeptine exposures and hospitalizations over the past five years. • Multiple states have issued public-health alerts warning of coma, seizures, and cardiac arrest following tianeptine use. • The FDA has received hundreds of adverse-event reports describing opioid-type dependence, withdrawal, and death. • Clinical case series confirm that tianeptine withdrawal requires medical detoxification, often using buprenorphine. • Law enforcement and health officials in several states have linked tianeptine to fatal overdoses and polysubstance use. • Products are routinely mislabeled or sold online and in gas stations as “energy boosters” or “dietary supplements.” ⸻ Why Legislation Is Urgently Needed Tianeptine is not approved for any medical use in the United States. Despite multiple FDA and CDC warnings, it remains available through online and retail channels, often alongside hemp, kratom, and Delta-8 products. These unregulated sales exploit supplement loopholes and target teens and young adults. Without action, more communities will experience the same pattern already seen with opioids — addiction, withdrawal, and preventable deaths. ⸻ What You Can Do 1. Add tianeptine and its analogs to the Schedule I controlled-substances list at the state or federal level. 2. Ban the retail and online sale of any “supplement” containing tianeptine or its derivatives. 3. Support enforcement funding so health departments, boards of pharmacy, and local police can act quickly. 4. Require public warnings and product recalls for mislabeled tianeptine supplements. 5. Encourage education campaigns in schools and communities on the dangers of “gas-station heroin.” ⸻ Closing The ongoing opioid crisis has already cost too many lives. Allowing tianeptine to remain on the shelves under the guise of a supplement is both dangerous and unethical. Please act swiftly to ban tianeptine and protect families from this emerging threat. Respectfully, [Your Full Name] [City, State ZIP] [Optional: Title or Affiliation]