If recent legislation closing the “hemp loophole” is enacted as written, it would outlaw “gas station weed” — synthetic marijuana products commonly found at smoke shops, independent convenience stores, and gas stations — in the U.S. But these hemp-derived THC products are only one of many types of “gas station drugs.”
There’s a plethora of quasi-legal recreational and knock-off pharmaceutical drugs that fall under the umbrella of these so-called gas station drugs. From “mushrooms,” to erectile dysfunction drugs to tianeptine — sometimes called “gas station heroin” — there is a wide array of gray market products for sale alongside motor oil, snack food, and car fresheners.
This week’s STATus Report digs into how and why gas stations became the perfect marketplace for these quasi-legal substances. Physician Pieter Cohen of Harvard Medical School joins host Alex Hogan to explain how these drugs can fly under the regulatory radar, what the FDA could be doing about it, and more.
