Gas Station
Sedatives

Phenibut, kava extracts, and blue lotus products are marketed for sleep, calm, mood, or relaxation while carrying real risks for dependence, poisoning, impairment, and drug interactions.

Recognize the Products Help Your Community

These products are often presented as wellness aids, but the effects can be drug-like, unpredictable, and medically serious.

Phenibut is not a lawful dietary ingredient in supplements and has been linked to sedation, respiratory depression, withdrawal, psychosis, coma, and death. Kava products have been associated with rare but serious liver injury. Blue lotus products may cause psychoactive effects and have been flagged by military safety resources because some products may be adulterated with synthetic cannabinoids.

Sedatives community members should recognize

These substances may appear in shots, capsules, gummies, vapes, powders, tinctures, or bottled drinks. The concern is not traditional plant use in every setting. The concern is modern retail products with concentrated ingredients, unclear dosing, undisclosed combinations, and inadequate safety warnings.

PHENIBUT GABAergic drug associated with dependence, severe withdrawal, agitation, psychosis, reduced consciousness, respiratory depression, coma, and death. KAVA Marketed for relaxation and anxiety. Concentrated products have been linked to liver injury and may worsen impairment when combined with alcohol, sedatives, opioids, or sleep medications. BLUE LOTUS Psychoactive plant product sold in teas, extracts, vapes, and edibles. Reported concerns include intoxication, hallucinations, anxiety, chest pain, seizures, and possible adulteration.
1,320

Phenibut exposure calls were reported to U.S. poison centers from 2009 through 2019.

12.6%

Of reported phenibut exposures resulted in major effects, meaning life-threatening or disabling outcomes.

Not lawful

FDA says phenibut does not meet the definition of a dietary ingredient for supplements.

Recognize warning signs and respond

Product red flags

  • Claims such as “relaxation,” “deep sleep,” “stress relief,” “euphoria,” “mood,” “calm,” or “plant medicine.”
  • Products sold as shots, gummies, vapes, powders, capsules, tinctures, or bottled tonics.
  • Labels that do not clearly disclose active ingredients, dose per serving, warnings, or interaction risks.
  • Combination products, especially kava plus kratom, phenibut plus stimulants, or blue lotus plus cannabinoids or mushroom blends.
  • Branding that looks like a wellness product while producing intoxication, sedation, or psychoactive effects.

What community members can do

  • Save the package or take clear photos of the front label, ingredient panel, warnings, lot number, and store display.
  • For immediate symptoms or accidental exposure, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
  • Report serious reactions to FDA MedWatch and share concerns with local health departments.
  • Ask schools, parent groups, prevention coalitions, and civic leaders to educate families about these products.
  • Encourage local and state officials to review retail sale, labeling, warning, and enforcement gaps.
Download fact sheet Report a product

Gas Station Heroin

Awareness. Prevention. Action.

Home Parent Guide Identify Products Warning Signs Talk to Your Child Get Help Report a Product Contact

Substance Categories

Opioids Sedatives Hallucinogens Inhalants Stimulants Sexual Enhancement Products

Connect & Help

In crisis? Call or text 988
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call 911 if it's an emergency.
Get Help Now →
© 2024 GasStationHeroin.org