Gabapentin may become controlled substance in Ohio amid abuse

A common drug sometimes prescribed as an opioid alternative is being abused across Ohio, and its misuse could lead the state to deem it a controlled substance in the near future.

Gabapentin, also known by its brand name Neurontin, is used to treat seizures and nerve pain in adults. It also is used illicitly to enhance highs and to take the bite out of withdrawal symptoms, local experts said.