OFFICIAL STATISTICS released today show that among drug-related deaths mentioned in Northern Ireland between 2023 and 2024, a significant proportion had a connection to the prescription medication Pregabalin.
67 of the 169 registered drug-related deaths in the region during that time period were linked with the drug, which is prescribed for a number of conditions, including epilepsy.
An increase in Pregabalin’s recreational use, as well as adverse effects resulting from cross-contamination with alcohol and illegal street drugs has been suggested as the main cause for this trend.
The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (or NISRA) produced a report which states that, in terms of simple majority, opioids were related to 103 of these same drug-related deaths.
The report also expressed concern that the biggest proportion of drug misuse mortality came from 25-34 year-olds. It noted that males accounted for more than two thirds of these deaths, a number which has not changed significantly in a number of years.
The figures show a stark increase of 47% on the total number of drug related deaths between 2013 and 2023. At its peak, numbers reached 218 in 2020, almost double the amount of 115 in 2013.
Deaths involving two or more drugs rose sharply from 53% in 2012 to 74.6% in 2023. Cocaine was singled out as the most dangerous substance in 2023, being the drug which was involved in the most single drug-related deaths.
See More: Drug Deaths, Northern Ireland, Pregabalin
