Gabapentin,the Most Dangerous Drug In America?
With Millions of People dying daily because of the Opioid Crisis in America, Many people are turning to a New Recreational Drug called Gabapentin or (Neurontin). Like almost all FDA-approved medications, when prescribed responsibly and taken as prescribed, this Drug can offer great relief to those with these conditions. However, we all know that we live in a world in which not every patient takes medications as prescribed. New Regulations for Opioid painkillers have resulted in Doctors Turning To alternative Drugs such as Gabapentin. Overdoses on this drug have now driven the F.D.A to make new studies since there is no Overdose antidote.
What is Gabapentin?
Gabapentin is used with other medications to prevent and control seizures. It is also used to relieve nerve pain following shingles (a painful rash due to herpes zoster infection) in adults. This Drug is known as an anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drug.
Gabapentin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat epilepsy and pain related to nerve damage, called neuropathy. Also known by its brand name, Neurontin, the drug acts as a sedative. It is widely considered non-addictive and touted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an alternative intervention to opiates for chronic pain. Generally, doctors prescribe no more than 1,800 to 2,400 milligrams of gabapentin per day, according to information on the Mayo Clinic’s website.
Available To Be Abused
A literature review published in 2016 in the journal Addiction found about a fifth of those who abuse opiates misuse gabapentin. A separate 2015 study of adults in Appalachian Kentucky who abused opiates found 15 percent of participants also misused gabapentin in the past six months “to get high.”
Even as gabapentin gets restocked regularly in U.S.A shelves, the drug’s presence is increasing on the streets. A 300-milligram pill sells for as little as 75 cents. Yet, according to Certain Police Department, Law Enforcement can do little to stop its spread. That’s because This Drug is not categorized as a controlled substance. That designation places restrictions on who can possess and dispense the drug.
Why is the Recreational use of Gabapentin Becoming so popular?