PULLMAN, Wash. — Poison centers have reported a major increase in calls about an anti-anxiety drug sold on the internet.
The drug, called phenibut, was developed in Russia in the 1960s.
It’s not approved for use in the U.S., but it is easily purchased online, advertised as a way to treat anxiety, boost brain power and help with relaxation and sleep.
According to research out of Washington State University, poison centers reported over 1300 phenibut cases from 2009-2019 with the number rising dramatically in 2014.
They say one in eight of those cases was associated with serious health effects, including three deaths.