POLICE HAVE ISSUED a warning after a number of sudden deaths of teenagers  in Belfast.

Officers said that there is a strong possibility that many of the deaths are linked to drug or substance abuse.

District commander Belfast city, chief superintendent Chris Noble said: “While most post-mortem examinations have been carried out, we are waiting for the results of toxicology tests to determine the cause of each tragic death.  However in some instances, possible links to drug or substance abuse are strong lines of enquiry.

“Our advice is very simple: Do not take illegal drugs; do not take prescription medication that has not been prescribed for you and do not mix either with alcohol.

“The consequences of ignoring this advice can be life-threatening.”

Noble said the last thing he or his colleagues want to be doing is calling to families’ doors and giving them the news that their son or daughter had died.

He added: “Drugs bring misery to individuals, families and communities. There is no such a thing as recreational drugs. All drugs that are not taken as prescribed by your own doctor can be lethal. The consumption and mixing of illegal drugs can be a lottery of death as it is often unclear what the substance is, its strength or the harm it can do to your body.”

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