Editing Servier - Tianeptine Controversy (section)

==Consumer impact summary==
Despite not being FDA-approved for any medical use, tianeptine is widely available in gas stations, convenience stores, and online retailers under misleading marketing. This accessibility creates a false impression of safety and legitimacy. Users are often unaware of the true nature of what they're consuming, with products frequently containing doses far exceeding therapeutic levels used in countries where tianeptine is prescribed legally—up to 3000mg compared to the 12.5-50mg therapeutic range.

Tianeptine has become increasingly problematic in the United States, where it is sold as an unregulated supplement under names like "Tianaa" and "Zaza". These products have been linked to severe addiction, with poison control center cases involving tianeptine exposure increasing from 11 total cases between 2000 and 2013 to 151 cases in 2020 alone.

The FDA has issued multiple warnings about tianeptine, stating it is "not approved by the FDA for any medical use" and warning consumers about "dangerous and unproven claims that tianeptine can improve brain function and treat anxiety, depression, pain, opioid use disorder, and other conditions".

Several U.S. states have banned tianeptine, including Kentucky, where Democratic Governor Andy Beshear signed an emergency order banning it in March 2023, using legislation originally created to ban fentanyl analogs.