JACKSON, Mississippi – The United States is currently facing a crisis of mental health and substance use disorders, with a record number of overdose deaths reported in the past 12 months. According to the CDC, over 112,000 overdose deaths occurred during this period. Efforts to address this crisis have largely focused on substances like fentanyl and xylazine, but there is another crisis quietly taking hold in the background – one that targets the country’s youth.
Convenience stores have become a hotbed for new addictions, offering unregulated substances disguised in attractive packaging and mouth-watering flavors. Vaping and over-the-counter CBD products are just the tip of the iceberg, with kratom emerging as a major offender in the state of Mississippi. Marketed as a natural and safe alternative for pain and ADHD, kratom is highly addictive and has been linked to numerous deaths across the country. Tianeptine, also known as “gas station heroin,” and gummy mushrooms are other concerning substances making their way onto store shelves.
Physicians are increasingly concerned about the lack of oversight on these products in convenience stores, where they are readily available to the public. While some states have taken steps to ban the sale of certain substances, the issue remains a game of “whack-a-mole,” with new products constantly popping up to replace those that have been banned. Efforts have been made to designate a gatekeeper to assess substances before they reach the shelves, but significant legislative support is lacking.
The easy accessibility of addictive and dangerous substances at convenience stores is a growing concern for healthcare professionals, who stress the need for preventive measures to keep these products out of the hands of consumers. It is clear that urgent action is required to address the issue and prevent convenience stores from perpetuating addiction.
The United States is currently facing a crisis of mental health and substance use disorders, with over 112,000 overdose deaths reported in the past 12 months. Efforts to curb this crisis have largely focused on substances like fentanyl and xylazine, but there is another crisis quietly taking hold in convenience stores, where unregulated and addictive substances are readily available to the public. It is imperative that preventive measures be put in place to keep these products out of the hands of consumers and prevent convenience stores from perpetuating addiction.