MATTHEW PERRONE Health Writer.

Health officials want you to think twice before buying brightly colored energy shots and supplements often sold at gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops. The products are sometimes called “gas station heroin,” and contain tianeptine. That’s an antidepressant that can be addictive and carries the risk of serious side effects. U.S. poison control centers have reported a steady rise in calls linked to the drug for more than a decade. The drug has never been approved by the FDA for any medical condition in the U.S. and cannot legally be added to foods and beverages or sold as a dietary supplement. About a dozen states have prohibited or restricted tianeptine.