Opioid Painkiller Most Prescribed Drug In North Carolina

A new map shows the 10 most widely-prescribed drugs in each state. In North Carolina, an opioid pain pill tops the list.

Norco and Vicodin ranked number one as the most prescribed medication in North Carolina and in nine other states, including several in the South (Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas).

The drugs are mixtures of acetaminophen and hydrocodone. They're often prescribed after surgery or to treat chronic pain and are highly addictive.

Data was collected by GoodRx, a website and mobile app that tracks prescription drug prices, and came from pharmacies and insurers around the country.

The second most prescribed drug in the state was Synthroid, a hormone replacement used to treat hypothyroidism, followed by Adderall.

According to Kaiser Health News, Americans fill 4.5 billion prescriptions a year at a cost of $323 billion.