<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-05-17</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000786947</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ACUR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001212648</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CARE CAPITAL  II  LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>47 HULFISH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 310</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRINCETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08542</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001223011</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CARE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS II LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>47 HULFISH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 310</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRINCETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08542</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001357403</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Care Capital Offshore Investments II LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>47 HULFISH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 310</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRINCETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08542</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-05-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>350000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.35</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6240815</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-05-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>160000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.39</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6080815</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares were sold as follows: 327,530 by Care Capital Investments II, LP and 22,470 by Care Capital Offshore Investments II, L.P.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price.  These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $2.42 to $2.23, inclusive.  The reporting person undertakes to provide to Acura Pharmaceuticals, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the ranges set forth in footnotes (2) and (5) to this Form 4.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Consists of 5,840,171 shares held by Care Capital Investments II, LP and 400,644 shares held by Care Capital Offshore Investments II, L.P.  Care Capital II, LLC is the general partner of Care Capital Investments II, LP and Care Capital Offshore Investments II, LP and as a result, Care Capital II, LLC has the ultimate power to vote or direct the vote and to dispose or direct the disposition of such shares.  Care Capital II, LLC is managed by three or more members and accordingly none of the managing members is deemed to have voting or dispositive control over the securities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The shares were sold as follows: 149,728 by Care Capital Investments II, LP and 10,272 by Care Capital Offshore Investments II, L.P.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price.  These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $2.45 to $2.35, inclusive.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Consists of 5,690,443 shares held by Care Capital Investments II, LP and 390,372 shares held by Care Capital Offshore Investments II, L.P.  Care Capital II, LLC is the general partner of Care Capital Investments II, LP and Care Capital Offshore Investments II, LP and as a result, Care Capital II, LLC has the ultimate power to vote or direct the vote and to dispose or direct the disposition of such shares.  Care Capital II, LLC is managed by three or more members and accordingly none of the managing members is deemed to have voting or dispositive control over the securities.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Care Capital LLC /s/ David R. Ramsay</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-05-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Care Capital Investments II, LP, By: Care Capital II, LLC, Its General Partner /s/ David R. Ramsay</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-05-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Care Capital Offshore Investments II, LP, By: Care Capital II, LLC, Its General Partner /s/ David R. Ramsay</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-05-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
