Home Office urged to make prescription drug a Class C substance following abuse by teenagers

A prescription drug that is being abused by teenagers should be made a Class C drug, according to health officials.

Pregablin is also known by the brand name Lyrica and is an anti-epileptic drug used to relieve chronic pain for conditions including fibromyalgia.

The drug is widely used in Northern Ireland and last year was prescribed more here than anywhere else in the UK.

Pregablin was also one of a cocktail of drugs used by teenagers Aaron Strong and Aaron Fox before they died earlier this year.

The Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs made the recommendation that pregablin be assigned a Class C status in a letter to ministers including then-home secretary Teresa May in January, according to BBC Radio Foyle.

In the Derry courts, there were reports of pregablin, known as "bud" on the streets, being abused as far back as January 2014.