Lance Gooden
09/24/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/24/2026 14:45
New Gooden Bill Cracks Down on Synthetic Kratom Products
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Lance Gooden (TX-05) announced the End Gas Station Heroin Act, legislation to protect Americans from dangerous synthetic opioids sold in gas stations and smoke shops.
The bill permanently schedules synthetic opioids and analogs sold in synthetic kratom products, commonly known as "gas station heroin." It also creates a special federal enforcement mechanism to address new and emerging substances before manufacturers can evade enforcement.
"Dangerous synthetic opioids powerful enough to fuel addiction and destroy lives should not be sitting on convenience store shelves next to snacks and energy drinks," said Rep. Gooden. "My bill permanently schedules these drugs, closes loopholes, and targets the entities putting them into our communities."
The issue has taken on renewed urgency following the deaths of two University of Mississippi students earlier this week. Synthetic kratom products were reportedly found at the scene, though authorities have not determined the official cause of death.
Existing enforcement mechanisms have struggled to keep pace as new synthetic compounds enter the market across the country. The Drug Enforcement Administration has taken temporary action to schedule certain synthetic substances, but those measures are limited and do not provide a permanent framework for addressing new compounds as they emerge.
The End Gas Station Heroin Act would:
Read the bill text here.
The bill permanently schedules synthetic opioids and analogs sold in synthetic kratom products, commonly known as "gas station heroin." It also creates a special federal enforcement mechanism to address new and emerging substances before manufacturers can evade enforcement.
"Dangerous synthetic opioids powerful enough to fuel addiction and destroy lives should not be sitting on convenience store shelves next to snacks and energy drinks," said Rep. Gooden. "My bill permanently schedules these drugs, closes loopholes, and targets the entities putting them into our communities."
The issue has taken on renewed urgency following the deaths of two University of Mississippi students earlier this week. Synthetic kratom products were reportedly found at the scene, though authorities have not determined the official cause of death.
Existing enforcement mechanisms have struggled to keep pace as new synthetic compounds enter the market across the country. The Drug Enforcement Administration has taken temporary action to schedule certain synthetic substances, but those measures are limited and do not provide a permanent framework for addressing new compounds as they emerge.
The End Gas Station Heroin Act would:
- Permanently schedule several dangerous synthetic opioids and analogs, including synthetic 7-OH.
- Create a mechanism to treat future emerging synthetic opioids as scheduled for manufacturers and distributors, helping prevent minor molecular alterations from being used to evade enforcement.
- Target manufacturers and distributors who introduce these drugs into the stream of commerce.
Read the bill text here.
Lance Gooden published this content on September 24, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 24, 2026 at 20:45 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]