Pregabalin: Bereaved mother warns of drug abuse dangers

A Londonderry parent whose girl died successful February has warned young radical astir the dangers of abusing the medicine drug, pregabalin.

Jasmin Duddy was conscionable 21 years aged erstwhile she was recovered unresponsive astatine a location successful Galliagh successful the city.

Her parent Pauline Duddy said a post-mortem introspection aboriginal revealed Jasmin had pregabalin successful her system.

The constabulary successful Derry person besides said they are attempting to find a batch of extra-strength pregabalin tablets.

The cause is usually utilized to dainty epilepsy and anxiety, according to the NHS.

Ms Duddy has called for tougher sentences connected cause dealers and said much families volition beryllium near heartbroken unless much is done to tackle cause addiction.

Ms Duddy antecedently told the Derry Journal that her girl had "the biggest bosom and would person done thing for anyone".

Speaking to BBC News NI, she said her girl had been attempting to flooded her addiction issues and was receiving attraction astatine Woodlea House astatine Gransha Hospital.

Ms Duddy said that connected 1 February she received a telephone from her daughter, and knew by the dependable of her dependable that she was intoxicated.

"When the telephone telephone ended, I texted her and said delight sober up due to the fact that I knew she had taken something. She past replied backmost saying: 'Mum, I'm trying.'

"So astatine 4 o'clock successful the greeting I was dormant and past determination was constabulary astatine the doorway and they said they wanted to travel successful to sermon a delicate substance and they told maine that my girl was recovered deceased.

"I don't recognize wherefore that time - that's the question that keeps going circular my caput - wherefore that time did she determine to enactment those tablets successful her mouth," she added.

"She was disconnected each the tablets, she was doing truly well, and I don't cognize what changed connected the 1st February to marque her enactment tablets into her mouth. That volition ne'er beryllium answered."

Ms Duddy said she lone received the post-mortem introspection results a fewer weeks back, wherever it was revealed she had pregabalin successful her system.

"It has near the full household devastated and there's a batch much families going done the nonstop aforesaid astatine the infinitesimal - we are the families near behind."

Ms Duddy believes the cause occupation successful the northbound westbound is getting worse and said much needs to beryllium done to tackle it.

"You tin get drugs quicker than you tin get cocoa retired of the shop," she said.

"It's getting sold nether your eyes, it's getting passed nether your eyes and it's conscionable horrific.

"It is each vulnerable, naive young radical who are being preyed on."

Ms Duddy said sentences presently being handed down to convicted cause dealers are not agelong capable - she believes longer sentences would trim the hazard of individuals reoffending.

"Drug dealers should beryllium getting years and years successful situation due to the fact that immoderate are coming retired and reoffending, doing the nonstop aforesaid happening again.

"If they bash a agelong long successful prison, possibly they'll alteration erstwhile they travel out, 15 oregon 20 years successful jailhouse they'll person plentifulness of clip to deliberation astir it."

A Department of Justice spokesperson said sentencing successful idiosyncratic cases is simply a substance for the autarkic judiciary.

"The existent maximum sentences disposable to the judiciary upon condemnation successful the crown tribunal for accumulation oregon proviso of controlled drugs (whether Class A, B oregon C) scope from 14 years to beingness imprisonment," they added.

"Sentencing judges indispensable see each the grounds presented successful the lawsuit arsenic good arsenic immoderate applicable sentencing guidance and the sentences fixed successful akin cases earlier reaching their decisions. "

If you person been affected by addiction, assistance and enactment is disposable astatine BBC Action Line.

If you unrecorded successful Northern Ireland, you tin telephone Lifeline, a 24 hr helpline connected 0808 808 8000.