Official Answer. The anti-seizure medication gabapentin is not currently considered a narcotic or controlled substance by the federal government, but certain states have enacted legislation so that the medication is treated as one or monitored by the state's prescription drug monitoring program.

Why has gabapentin been made a controlled drug?

This makes it an easier prescription to fill compared to addictive drugs such as opioids and benzodiazepines. States that have passed legislation to classify gabapentin as a controlled substance do so in response to knowledge in recent years of its potential for abuse and addiction.

Is gabapentin a Schedule V controlled substance?

The first marketed medication in this class, gabapentin, is not currently classified as a controlled substance in most states, however, its abuse potential is still being investigated. In fact, Kentucky, Michigan, and Tennessee have reclassified gabapentin as a Schedule V controlled substance.