New on the streets: Drug for nerve pain boosts high for opioid abusers
SalonATHENS, Ohio — On April 5, Ciera Smith sat in a car parked on the gravel driveway of the Rural Women’s Recovery Program here with a choice to make: go to jail or enter treatment for her addiction. “I don’t know if we have a clear picture of the risk,” said Joe Gay, executive director of Health Recovery Services, a network of substance abuse recovery centers headquartered in Athens. Rachel Quivey, an Athens pharmacist, said she noticed signs of gabapentin misuse half a decade ago when patients began picking up the drug several days before their prescription ran out. Brice Johnson, a probation officer at Athens County Municipal Court, said participants in the municipal court’s Substance Abuse Mentally Ill Program undergo gabapentin testing only when abuse is suspected. Linda Holley, a clinical supervisor at an Athens outpatient program run by the Health Recovery Services, said she suspects at least half of her clients on Suboxone treatment abuse gabapentin.
History of this topic
FDA approves new painkiller that shows promise and challenges of opioid alternatives
Live Mint
FDA approves painkiller designed to eliminate the risk of addiction associated with opioids
Associated Press
FDA approves painkiller designed to eliminate the risk of addiction associated with opioids
LA TimesDiscover Related