Authorities on alert as Ice addicts switching to Painkiller on the rise

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   

Medical and law enforcement authorities are on alert as a growing trend is evident of drug abusers, especially those who are addicted to Ice (Crystal Methamphetamine) switching to use popular painkiller Pregabalin, as a substitute is on the rise since recently, the Daily Mirror learns.   

Several recent large-scale detections of the medicinal drug from unlicensed domestic compounds, especially in the Northern and Eastern regions have opened the eyes of the authorities to learn that the capsule Pregabalin is being used among the drug addicts as ‘hot cake’.   

Pregabalin, which is known to be an anticonvulsant, analgesic and anxiolytic amino acid medication that primarily treats epilepsy, neuropathic pain etc. was found being smuggled into the country in bulk through sea routes from the South Indian locations to North Eastern Sri Lankan coastal towns.   The recent such detection was reported from Puttalam, where an Excise Department flying squad raided a house in Norochcholai and seized 216, 000 capsules of Pregabalin on Sunday night.   

The Excise Bureau of Special Operations (BSO) on information to seize a large stock of Tendu leaves found the consignment of Pregabalin 150 mg in large bulk instead, stored in a rear shed of a domestic compound.   

OIC Excise BSO Chief Inspector Nirosh Jayakody told the Daily Mirror that according to the 33-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the illegal consignment, the batch of drugs had come through the Kalpitiya sea routes allegedly from India.   

The batch of drugs had been valued at Rs.10, 800, 000, where a single capsule is sold at Rs.50 in local pharmacies. However, the alarming point is the suspect who was produced in courts had been released on a mere fine of Rs.10,000.   

Medico – legal expert and former Chief Food and Drug Inspector of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Amith Perera said Pregabalin is widely abused among Ice addicts and teenage school children respectively, as a substitute to the dangerous drug and an intoxicant.   

He said Pregabalin, which is widely known as a popular painkiller for neuropathic pains, is a prescription drug, which cannot simply be purchased over the counter. However, in many recent instances, the pharmacies in rural areas were raided for violating their license conditions and selling the particular drug over the counter to the interested parties even without a prescription.   

According to the official, a medical doctor who was running a dispensary in Kiran, Batticaloa was arrested last month for selling Pregabalin to schoolchildren.   

When contacted, Police Spokesperson ASP F. U. Wootler told the Daily Mirror that they are keeping a close eye on the growing trend of Ice addicts switching to Pregabalin.   

He said he will seek the expertise of the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) to face this issue and alert the relevant quarters for further precautionary action.