By Michael Owen | Thu, February 8th, 2024 

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — Gas station heroin is just one of the drug trends in South Carolina right now that a substance abuse education expert shared with law enforcement officers in Myrtle Beach on Thursday.

Retired police officer Jermaine Galloway, known as ‘Tall Cop,’ has been traveling the country for the last 20 years speaking about the drug trends he sees in specific areas.

He spoke to a couple hundred people in law enforcement, health care and schools from across the Pee Dee about what he’s seeing in the Palmetto State. 

Written by: The Tall Cop

As we dive into 2024 there is something already clear, the over-the-counter drug market has plenty of “legal” items they are promoting. Let’s start the conversation with vapes.  During recent scans in states in the Southwest and on the West Coast, I have noticed the number of hits in vapes being sold. Most commonly, the 7,000-10,000 range. This is not new to the market, but the prices of these products have reduced or held steady. As the amount of “hits” goes up so should the pricing, however, that is not the case. Meanwhile, the amount in the 10,000 - 15,000 range (yes, I said 15k hits) vapes available has increased. To put this in context, just before the pandemic a commonly purchased vape product or pod was around 200-300 hits.  Now, you are lucky if you find anything that low. Most are well into the thousands which gives more insight into what schools are now dealing with. 

Written by: Officer Jermaine Galloway

August 23, 2023 / UPDATED April 3, 2025

Approximately 26 months ago, during several environmental scans, I noticed something emerging on store shelves. The drug is called Amanita Muscaria, which is being sold and marketed as a legal form of mushroom. This drug works similarly to Psilocybin mushrooms in high doses but is not flagged in drug tests or field test kits. Amanita is sold as an alternative to avoid state laws and may be unknown to the everyday professional. Amanita has also been coined as the “Delta 8 of the hallucinogen world”. What do they mean by that statement? It is a somewhat unknown substance that is being sold over the counter in gas stations, smoke shops, some shopping malls, and online.  

Written by: Jermaine Galloway, May 8, 2023

What is Phenibut and where does it come from? Phenibut is a non-FDA approved, powerful synthetic depressant that is not new to our streets across the US. Most states have no regulations on Phenibut and many labs don’t test for it. For those who have attended my classes, I have trained on Phenibut for years. In recent years, I have begun to see Phenibut in many more over-the-counter stores. I believe the increase of Phenibut is due to many factors that impact this street level drug.

Written by: Officer Jermaine Galloway

The quick answer may be “not really”.  Now to clarify, let’s highlight what 420 means, how it is associated with today’s cannabis climate, and most importantly, what you all can expect to see at the street, school and community level.

420, four twenty, and 4-20 are all known as the “National Stoner Holiday” or the universal time and day to get high.  This is the special day for cannabis users and is highlighted through popular culture.  You will hear terms, or phrases, such as “419, got a minute?” or “421, I’m running late”. 

Written by: The Tall Cop, Officer Jermaine Galloway 

To give an immediate answer to this question, it is the real deal and is increasing nationwide. To begin, let's highlight some of the fentanyl trends we are seeing on our streets and in our schools.  

Neurontin, better known as Gabapentin, is an anticonvulsant/anti-seizure medication that some of us may already know a lot about, and others that may have never heard of it. There may be many of you who are reading this today that have been prescribed it, or know someone who has. Approved for both youth and adults, this drug (aka Gaby or Gabby on the street), is commonly prescribed for seizures, Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), and shingles or diabetic nerve pain. It has also been used to treat alcohol withdrawals, sleep disorders, and other medical conditions.

What Is Xylazine and Why Is It Being Cut Into Heroin And Fentanyl?

Written by: The Tall Cop

October 2022

Xylazine is a veterinary medicine use to sedate animals.  This depressant is NOT a controlled substance and not FDA approved for human use.  When used in veterinary clinics, the drug is in a liquid form and is generally used before surgery or procedures. 

In this episode, Jermaine Galloway and Jacquie Sheehey, Averhealth's Director of Marketing & Partnerships, discuss the state of drug trends at NADCP's RISE22 conference in Nashville, TN. Learn more about Galloway's impactful work educating the community and recovery professionals at: https://www.tallcopsaysstop.com/

ZaZa, Tia, or also known as Tianna is a drug called Tianeptine. Tianeptine is a drug that has continued to gain popularity across the United States. ZaZa is a synthetic drug that works like an opioid, and is federally legal. A handful of states have banned or scheduled this drug, the most recent state being Tennessee as of July 2022.  Many opioid seekers have shared that the withdrawal symptoms from ZaZa can be worse than, or as extreme as normal street level opioids including Heroin. Some will use Tianeptine to blunt opioid withdrawal symptoms, and as a way to self medicate. ZaZa is sold over the counter in many states and can be found in gas stations, smoke shops, and even as shockingly as a shopping mall on the east coast I visited.