For several months, a new “poor man’s drug” has worried the health authorities. The misuse of pregabalin even forced the ANSM to review the conditions of access to this drug.
Are we witnessing the advent of a new “poor man’s drug”? For nearly a year, health authorities have been concerned about the increased popularity of the misuse of a drug: pregabalin.
Better known under the name Lyrica, the trade name used by the general public, pregabalin is “a drug fairly widely prescribed in France in three indications”, as explained by Doctor Jean-Pierre Thierry, health consultant for BFM TV.
The latter specifies that the three cases of prescriptions for the drug are intended for “neuropathic pain, that is to say for example after shingles or in diabetics, for certain forms of epilepsy and more recently for generalized anxiety disorders. “, explains the doctor.
However, Lyrica pills are becoming increasingly popular in some party circles for their disinhibiting effect. “The effects are variable. For some people, this can produce a certain excitement and therefore hover a little, this is the effect sometimes sought in young people”, analyzes Doctor Thierry.
From 2 to 3€ per pill
However, the BFM TV health consultant warns against the misuse of Lyrica, especially when it is consumed in high doses and combined with other potentially toxic medicinal substances.
“It’s more of a calming effect, so there can be drowsiness when it’s combined with other products such as opioids or benzodiazepines. And there, in fact, the risk of overdose is increased”, warns Doctor Jean -Pierre Thierry.
The popularity of this new drug is also explained by its very low price. If the box can sell for an estimated amount between 5 and 20 €, a tablet will be able to resell for two to three euros each. An economic advantage which only benefits the illegal traffic in this drug, which is spreading in particular in large cities such as Marseille or Toulouse.
In order to curb the spread of this new drug, the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) had, in May 2021, tightened the conditions for access to Lyrica. It is now necessary to present a secure prescription issued by a doctor, that is to say a prescription written on a paper qualified as tamper-proof. A precaution that does not seem to curb the misuse of pregabalin.
