Gas Station Drugs: What Parents Need to Know in 2026

The Therapeutic ProcessParenting Strategies and SupportResource Recommendations

Oct 24

What Teens Are Buying at the Gas Station Now

I've written about THC use. Now it's time to write about some other things.

In What I Wish I'd Known About THC and the Teenage Brain, I covered what today's high-potency cannabis does to the developing brain. The brain science in that post is still accurate, and newer research has solidified it. A study published in February followed more than 460,000 adolescents into their mid-twenties. Teens who had used cannabis in the past year had a significantly higher risk of developing psychotic, bipolar, depressive, and anxiety disorders by age 26 (JAMA Health Forum, 2026).

When a parent tells me their child isn't using drugs, I've started asking a second question: what has he been buying at the gas station? Many of the products below are sold as supplements, "botanicals," or "mood support," on the same shelves as energy drinks.

Hemp THC (Delta-8, THCA, and "Gas Station Weed")

A 2018 federal law created a loophole that allowed intoxicating THC products to be made from hemp and sold almost anywhere, and teens started buying them. In the most recent national survey, 9% of 12th graders, 6% of 10th graders, and 2% of 8th graders reported using hemp-derived cannabis products such as delta-8 (Monitoring the Future via AAP News, 2025).

Congress has voted to close the loophole in two stages. Synthetic cannabinoids that the plant cannot produce naturally lose their legal status on November 12 (Marijuana Moment). Most other hemp THC products follow on December 11, 2026 (Hemp Law Group). The new rule limits products to 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container, far below the amount in most gummies and THC drinks sold today (Hytiva).

The hemp industry and some lawmakers in both parties would prefer regulation to a ban. As of mid-October, bills to delay the ban to 2028, repeal it, or replace it with federal regulations were still in committee. The White House has said it will not support another extension (Hemp Law Group). Some states have acted on their own. Texas banned delta-8, delta-10, THCA flower, and THCP on July 31, 2026 (IVN).

These products will likely stay on some shelves after the ban takes effect. The convenience store industry's trade group has warned that a ban could push them into an illicit market, as happened with illegal vapes (NACS).

Kratom and 7-OH

Kratom is a plant from Southeast Asia, and 7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine) is one of its compounds. Products sold as 7-OH contain it at concentrations far higher than the leaf. They usually come as candies or liquids, and a 2025 FDA report put their potency at up to 13 times that of morphine (Bloomberg Law). Kratom and 7-OH act on the same brain receptors as opioids, so teens who use them regularly can develop tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal (European Psychiatry, 2023). Reported health effects include anxiety, depression, stomach problems, insomnia, and seizures (Virginia Department of Health).

Calls to poison centers involving kratom products, including 7-OH, rose from 258 in 2015 to 3,434 in 2025 (WDBJ7).

In August, the DEA placed three related compounds in Schedule I (Congressional Research Service). In October, it issued a new notice saying its temporary order scheduling 7-OH can be published on or after November 13, 2026 (Federal Register). This month, federal health officials said these compounds are being concentrated and sold as if they were natural kratom (CBS17/Nexstar).

Much of the disagreement is over the leaf itself. Some advocates and researchers say natural kratom has helped people stop using opioids and that the concentrated products are the problem. One Colorado advocate described whole-leaf kratom as a way out of addiction and synthetic 7-OH as a way into it (CBS Colorado). Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts has argued that the whole leaf should be scheduled, not only 7-OH (CBS17/Nexstar). State laws reflect the same split. Ten states ban kratom entirely, including Connecticut, Kansas, Tennessee, and Massachusetts, where the ban is a temporary emergency order (Restoration Recovery). Florida's attorney general took a narrower approach in June and placed 7-OH and six related compounds in Schedule I (Florida Phoenix).

Tianeptine ("Gas Station Heroin")

Tianeptine is an antidepressant prescribed in some other countries. It has never been approved by the FDA for any use, yet it is sold in the U.S. as a "research chemical," a "nootropic" cognitive enhancer, or a dietary supplement (FDA). It acts on the same mu-opioid receptors as morphine, heroin, and fentanyl (LegalClarity). Brand names include Zaza, Tianaa, and Neptune's Fix (Ranch House Recovery).

The labels on these products may not list everything in them. A CDC investigation of severe reactions in New Jersey found that some tianeptine products also contained kavain and two types of synthetic cannabinoids (ACMT, reporting NBC News).

At least 15 states treat tianeptine as a controlled substance or ban its sale (LegalClarity), including Connecticut as of March (iHeart). Bipartisan federal legislation was reintroduced in early 2026 but has not passed, and tianeptine is not federally scheduled (Ranch House Recovery).

Phenibut ("Gas Station Xanax")

Phenibut is a central nervous system depressant. People use it for anxiety, sleep, and focus, and recreationally to improve mood and feel more social. It is sold online without a prescription (Poison Control). In April 2026, the FDA warned consumers about a supplement shot containing phenibut that was sold online and at gas stations and convenience stores nationwide (FDA).

Phenibut is not federally controlled, but the FDA says it is not a lawful dietary ingredient. Utah lists it in Schedule I, and Maryland restricts its sale (Alternative to Meds). Alabama (California Prime Recovery) and Connecticut (CT Department of Consumer Protection) have also scheduled it. Withdrawal can be serious and should be managed by a doctor.

Nitrous Oxide ("Galaxy Gas")

Nitrous oxide is the gas in whipped cream chargers, and it is now sold in large flavored canisters. The FDA has warned against inhaling these products, which are sold online and in smoke shops, vape shops, and gas stations (Respiratory Therapy, reporting FDA). The canisters appear in thousands of social media videos (12News Phoenix).

Nitrous oxide permanently inactivates vitamin B12 (Cureus case report), and repeated use can cause nerve damage, paralysis, and death (WSB-TV via Yahoo).

Louisiana banned retail sales in 2024, Alabama passed a ban in 2025, and Oregon limited sales to minors in early 2026 (Robert King Law Firm). South Carolina prohibits sales to anyone under 18 and bans flavored nitrous oxide products (SLED).

Nicotine Pouches (Zyn)

Nicotine pouches are placed between the lip and gum. They have no smell and are easy to hide. Teen use is low overall but rising. While youth tobacco use declined through 2025, nicotine pouch use doubled, from 0.8% in 2021 to 1.7% (Pediatrics, 2026). Among high school seniors, current use went from 1.4% in 2023 to 4.4% in 2025 (American Lung Association). Zyn was the brand used by 69.2% of teens who use pouches, and more than 90% used flavored pouches, most often mint (FDA).

One researcher found that some teens use several pouches at once, which she called "stacking." With higher-strength pouches, this can deliver close to the nicotine of a pack of cigarettes (CBS Miami). Pouches are legal for adults 21 and older, and several states have raised taxes on them.

Why These Products Seem Harmless

Most parents grew up hearing about drugs bought from a dealer. These products are sold openly in stores, and that alone makes them seem safe. A Yale addiction physician says people assume a product must be safe if they can buy it at a gas station (Yale Medicine).

A Health Affairs analysis describes kratom products displayed next to soda and snacks, in packaging designed to appeal to young people, sometimes without age restrictions (Health Affairs). Georgia's attorney general warned families that 7-OH is often packaged to look like candy (CBS Atlanta). Nicotine pouch tins look like mint tins (Children's National), and nitrous oxide comes in flavors.

Words like "natural" and "hemp" on the label make products sound mild. The director of the Virginia Poison Center says the most common misconception about kratom is that natural means safe (VCU Health). A "hemp product" label can also lead buyers to assume a product won't get them high (Psychology Today).

Delta-8 and delta-10 are heavily marketed on social media, often without age restrictions (Psychology Today). A 2026 systematic review found that nicotine pouch marketing focused on flavors or quitting smoking made pouches more appealing, especially to young people who saw them as low-risk to begin with. The review also found that pouches are generally seen as less harmful and more socially acceptable than cigarettes (Addiction, 2026).

Teens also see adults using these products. In national data, 15.7% of young adults reported using delta-8 in the past year, and young adult nicotine pouch use nearly doubled in one year, from 4.8% to 9.5% (Monitoring the Future Panel Study, 2025). Those young adults include older siblings, coaches, camp counselors, and parents.

When researchers asked young people about Zyn, many described both risks and benefits (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2026). Asking teens what they like about a product, and what worries them about it, usually leads to a more open conversation than telling them it's dangerous.

Normalizing Starts at Home

Kids learn what's normal from the adults they live with. If parents are smoking, vaping, or drinking, they are modeling for their child, and it normalizes it for their kids.

At home, this might be a vape on the kitchen counter, a Zyn tin in the car, edibles in the pantry, a glass of wine every night, or a parent who says "I need a drink" after a hard day. In states where cannabis is legal for adults, it may be a parent's gummies. Use doesn't have to be heavy for a child to notice how the adults around them cope with stress.

A 2026 study of young women found that the more often they had seen a parent smoke cigarettes while growing up, the more days per month they used alcohol, cannabis, and e-cigarettes (Translational Issues in Psychological Science, 2026). Another 2026 study followed children from before birth through adolescence. It found that fathers' smoking was linked to their teens' smoking and vaping, partly through the teens' attitudes toward those products (Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2026). Not every finding points the same way. In the first study, seeing a parent drink was not significantly linked to how much the young women drank (PubMed abstract).

Parents can also lower their child's risk. In a national sample of more than 274,000 adolescents, teens whose parents consistently limited time with friends on school nights were less likely to start drinking. Younger teens in that group were also less likely to start smoking cigarettes or using cannabis (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2025).

If parents are unwilling to admit they have an issue, how can they help their kids? A teen asked to stop vaping by a parent who vapes will notice. Parents don't have to be perfect to step in, but honesty helps. A parent might say, "I started this when I was young, I've had a hard time stopping, and I don't want that for you."

If you're worried about your own use, getting support for yourself also helps your child. SMART Recovery Family & Friends and Al-Anon both support families affected by substance use. CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) is an evidence-based approach that teaches families how to respond to a loved one's substance use without pushing them away.

Signs to Watch For

Many of these substances don't cause the signs parents know from alcohol or marijuana. Signs that can apply to any of them include unexplained spending, frequent stops at gas stations or smoke shops, and packaging labeled "botanical," "nootropic," "mood support," or "for research only."

Kratom, 7-OH, and tianeptine (opioid-like): sedation, pinpoint pupils, and slowed breathing at higher doses (Pennsylvania Department of Health). Withdrawal can look like anxiety, insomnia, and feeling sick. A toxicologist in South Carolina reports seeing problems both when patients start these products and when they stop (FOX Carolina).
Phenibut: drowsiness, confusion, irritability, and a fast heartbeat (WebMD). Anxiety and poor sleep between doses can be signs of dependence.
Nitrous oxide: balloons, large flavored canisters, and a "cracker," a small metal tool used to empty a canister into a balloon. Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, or unsteady walking, needs a doctor (Cureus case report).
Nicotine pouches: Zyn packaging resembles a popular mint tin (Children's National). Other signs include small round tins, lip sores, frequent spitting, and new irritability or anxiety (Ubie Health).
Hemp THC: the same signs as marijuana. Products may be much stronger than labeled (Psychology Today).

Easy to Hide

Most of these products are small, and many are designed to look like something else. One of my clients hid her vapes inside her teddy bear. She opened the seam, tucked them in, and sewed it back up.

Some vapes are made to look like highlighters, down to the branding, the cap, and the click when opened. Others are built into smartwatches, phone cases, hoodie drawstrings, and backpack straps (Howard County Drug Free). When a news crew was shown school supplies with disguised vapes mixed in, most of the crew couldn't pick out the vapes. The FDA has warned one manufacturer that its design helps hide the product from parents and teachers (Fox Baltimore). Signs include hidden USB charging ports, small LED lights, unusual seams or compartments, and objects that are heavier than they should be (Howard County Drug Free).

Vaping is still the most common way teens use nicotine. One in five high school seniors vaped nicotine in the past year (Partnership to End Addiction). Fewer teens vape than a few years ago, but researchers found that teens who vape were using more heavily in 2025 (Pediatrics, 2026).

Drug Testing: What a Home Test Will and Won't Show

Parents often ask whether a home drug test will answer the question. Standard home tests won't detect most of the substances in this post.

Hemp THC: Standard THC screens cannot tell delta-8 from delta-9, so a positive result looks the same either way (The Examination).
Kratom and 7-OH: A standard 5-, 10-, or 12-panel urine test does not include kratom (Drugscreens.com). Single kratom test strips and cups with a kratom (KRA) panel are sold online (Drug Tests Direct).
Tianeptine: Routine 5-, 10-, and 12-panel tests do not screen for it (Cureus, 2026). Single-substance dip tests exist, but they are labeled for forensic use only and are not FDA-cleared (1 Step Detect). A lab can run a targeted urine test, so ask your pediatrician (NMS Labs).
Phenibut: Standard screens don't include it. Specialty labs can detect it, but a doctor would need to order the test (Axis Forensic Toxicology).
Nitrous oxide: It does not show up on a routine drug screen. A doctor may check B12-related blood work if there are neurological symptoms (Cureus case report).

If you do test at home, Evolve Treatment Centers has a practical guide worth reading. They recommend agreeing with your teen ahead of time on how often you'll test and what will happen after a positive result, and making sure the test includes the substance you're worried about. They also advise confirming a positive home result with a lab or your child's doctor, since medications and some foods can cause false positives.

A negative result doesn't rule out use. If your child's behavior has changed and the test is negative, keep paying attention to the behavior.

For Professionals

Ask teens about specific products by name, such as Zyn, Galaxy Gas, Zaza, kratom shots, and delta-8 gummies. A general question about drug use will miss most of them. If a teen's presentation doesn't match a negative urine screen, consider an expanded toxicology panel. Poison control (1-800-222-1222) can help identify unfamiliar products. Younger children are also affected. A study published in September found that reports of intentional substance exposures at school rose 287% among elementary-school-aged children and 112% among middle-school-aged children between 2000 and 2024 (American Journal of Emergency Medicine via Phys.org).

What Parents Can Do

Learn the product names, and pay attention to receipts, bank statements, and what's in the car. If you find something, ask questions before handing out consequences, because teens who feel interrogated often get better at hiding. If you suspect your child is using kratom, 7-OH, or tianeptine, one addiction physician recommends keeping Narcan at home (CBS Colorado).

If your child is using regularly or can't stop, talk to your pediatrician, since withdrawal from several of these substances needs medical support. If your adolescent or young adult child is struggling with this, reach out. We can provide you with resources to support you. You can reach me at jennifer@teamcrossbridge.com.