Derry MLA Maeve McLaughlin has called for action to prevent further deaths from so-called “legal high” drugs.
Speaking after a coroner linked a legal high drug known as “Speckled Red” to 18 deaths in the North, Ms McLaughlin, chairperson of the health committee at Stormont, said it was “shocking” so many people had lost their lives as a result of taking “this substance.”
The Sinn Fein representative said she agreed “wholeheartedly” with the coroner that if 18 people died as a result of any incident there would be a major outcry.
She added: “There is a role for the PSNI in all of this to deal with the sale of these toxic substances.
“The loopholes allowing these deadly substances to be sold need to be closed.
“In the 26 Counties the onus is on the sellers to ensure the substances are not dangerous and we should be looking at introducing similar structures here.”
Ms McLaughlin concluded: “Parents and young people also need to be aware of the dangers of ‘speckled red’ and other so-called legal highs so further deaths can be prevented.”
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