FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * ROSS GEORGE K   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC [ACUR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O ACURA PHARAMCEUTICALS, INC., 616 N NORTH COURT 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/02/2015 (Street) PALATINE, IL 60067 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 01/02/2015   M(1)   11,030 A (2) 14,030 (3) D   Common Stock 01/02/2015   F(4)   246 D $ 0.45 (5) 13,784 (3) D

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Restricted Stock Units

(2)

01/02/2015

M

11,030

(6)

(6)

Common Stock

11,030

(7)

25,734

D

Restricted Stock Units

(2)

01/02/2015

D

7,352

(6)

(6)

Common Stock

7,352

$ 0.45 (5) (8)

18,382

D

Restricted Stock Units

(2)

01/02/2015

A

51,546

(9)

(9)

Common Stock

51,546

(7)

51,546

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
ROSS GEORGE K C/O ACURA PHARAMCEUTICALS, INC. 616 N NORTH COURT PALATINE, IL 60067	X

Signatures

/s/ George Ross		01/06/2015
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Represents exchange of Restricted Stock Units.
(2)	Par value of $.01 must be paid by Reporting Person upon exchange of Restricted Stock Units for cash or stock
(3)	Does not include Restricted Stock Units.
(4)	For payment of par value of $.01 per share.
(5)	Represents closing price of Issuer's common stock on December 31, 2014.
(6)	50% of Restricted Stock Units vested on June 30, 2014; 25% vested on September 30, 2014 and 25% vested on December 31, 2014. Restricted Stock Units are exchanged for cash or stock on January 2, 2015, absent an election by Reporting Person. Reporting Person elected to defer distributions with respect to 50% (18,382) of Restricted Stock Units so that they are paid in three equal installments on January 1 of 2016, 2017 and 2018. Reporting Person elected to exchange 40% (7,352) of remaining Restricted Stock Units for cash (less par value of $.01 per share) and 60% of remaining Restricted Stock Units (11,030) on a one for one basis for common stock, in each case upon payment of, or deduction of par value.
(7)	N/A
(8)	Does not include par value of $.01 that must be paid or deducted upon exchange for cash.
(9)	25% of Restricted Stock Units vest on the last day of each of March, June, September and December 2015. Reporting Person may elect to exchange up to 40% of Restricted Stock Units for cash and the remaining Restricted Stock Units will be exchanged on a one for one basis for common stock, in each case upon payment of, or deduction of par value. Distributions in respect of vested Restricted Stock Units will be made on the first business day of January 2016.

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