Rising Gabapentin Misuse and Abuse.

• Position: PRESCRIPTION DRUGS - Brief article

Mounting evidence reveals that the prescription drug gabapentin increasingly is prone to abuse, particularly among those with opioid use disorders, even though it is not classified as a controlled substance and was believed to have a low risk of abuse, explains Kent Runyon, vice president of Community Relations for Novus Medical Detox Center, New Port Richey, Fla.

Gabapentin, marketed under the brand name Neurontin, is an anti-convulsant medication that is used primarily to treat seizures, neuropathic pain, and vasomotor symptoms. Though the Drug Enforcement Administration and Food and Drug Administration do not list the medication as a controlled substance, several states have reported rising incidences of misuse.

For instance, an analysis by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy found that gabapentin was the most-prescribed drug in the state; it was dispensed at a 30% higher rate than the second-ranking medication, oxycodone, surpassing it by more than 9,000,000 doses. Neurontin ranks as the fifth most-prescribed medication nationwide.

A 2017 research review determined that, while gabapentin abuse is...