New pregablin variant linked with three drug deaths in Londonderry last weekend as Public Health Agency issues substance misuse warning

It comes after a court in Londonderry was told earlier this week that there were three drug-related deaths and five cardiac arrests in the north west at the weekend.

The Public Health Agency said it has received information from partners in the Derry City and Strabane area of three potential drug-related fatalities where it is suspected that pregabalin and polydrug use occurred.

Pregabalin is a drug normally prescribed to treat anxiety, epilepsy and pain, and circulates on the illegal black market as ‘Bud’.

It was upgraded to a class C drug in Northern Ireland in 2019, which made it illegal to have the drugs without a prescription or supply or sell them to others.

The PHA has strongly recommended against taking anything unless it has been prescribed by a medical professional and in accordance with a prescription.

"There have been a number of deaths in the Derry and Strabane area and those deaths have been suspected to involve pregabalin and other substance use," Kevin Bailey from the PHA told UTV.

"Drug use in general worries me across Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, we are seeing people right across the life course, right across the age span, who are engaging in harmful or hazardous alcohol and drug use.

"Some of that is happening behind closed doors and some of it is out on our streets."