We Have Another One - Gabapentin

Recent news concerning drug abuse and misuse has shed light upon a drug called gabapentin. Gabapentin is supoosedly a non-addictive pain killer that is used to treat seizures and pain caused by shingles. While the U.S is dealing with the opioid crisis another drug has been added to the list of things to watch out for. Even though gabapentin is not an opioid, i think that it is apparent that the U.S. a prescribing and medicating problem that is rampant. I think that U.S. relies on prescription medication too much, and the stakeholders involved in prescription drugs/pharmacy allow excessive prescribing. Gabapentin is so dangerous because of its compounding effects when used in conjunction with other drugs. Gabapentin has been deemed as a 'potentiate', meaning that it exacerbates the effects of drugs such as heroin and fentanyl. In 2017, Kentucky became the first state to classify gabapentin as a Schedule 5 controlled substance.

It would seem that individuals are using other drugs in combination with gabapentin. Unfortunately, this misuse of gabapentin can have devastating effects. The Louisville Courier Journal reported that gabapentin showed up in a third of the state of Kentucky's fatal overdoses in 2016. Nevertheless, the issue seems to be that the underlying issues of drug abuse and misuse are being ignored. Situations involving prescriptionmedications are at times not being fully analyzed and evaluated prior to the prescribing, and patients are using the opportunity to improperly use certain medications. Patients are being improperly prescribed medicine or are finding ways to acquire drugs outside of medical supervision. The fix will be a difficult one, but it has to be made.