THE family of a 23-year-old man who died after a night out in Belfast have warned other young people about the dangers of taking drugs.
Jamie Burns collapsed at Queen’s University Student’s Union in south Belfast early on Sunday.
The call centre worker from York Drive in north Belfast collapsed during a night out with workmates.
He was taken to hospital but died a short while later.
His family said they believed he had taken two ecstasy tablets before he collapsed at the ‘Winter Party’ dance event.
His parents Billy and Lesley said they were “numb” after learning of his son’s death.
“You never think in your entire life that as a parent you would go through this,” Mr Burns posted on social media.
“Today my life has ended. My son, my best friend, died this morning after going out into Belfast.
"He took two tablets while out with friends, thinking nothing would happen to him, but it did.”
Jamie’s sister Gemma said her family were devastated by his death. She said Jamie had made “one stupid mistake”.
The family said they hoped their speaking out would “let others know of the dangers of what can happen on a night out” when taking unknown substances.
Gemma said the “hole” left within the lives of the family “can never be filled”.
“We are broken,” she said. Jamie’s best friend Adam Irwin, who was in Spain when he learned of his death, paid tribute to “the most gentle and helpful person you could ever meet.”
“Jamie was genuine, lovable and always had a big smile on his face,” he said.
Police said a postmortem examination will take place to determine the cause of death.
Queen’s University Belfast said: “This is a police matter. We will assist the PSNI in their investigations.”
The death came as the Department of Health issued a warning over the dangers of using prescription drugs from “illicit sources”.
A spokesman said drugs including diazepam, quetiapine and gabapentin were in circulation in the Newry area.
”Be in no doubt that medicines sourced in this way present a real danger to those taking them,” a statement read.
“Young people in particular may be unaware of the potentially fatal consequences of taking these unprescribed drugs, particularly when taken with alcohol.”
Meanwhile, two people have been arrested after police seized ‘cannabis cookies’ at a house in Ballymena, Co Antrim.
An ambulance was called to the property on the Cushendall Road after eight people became ill on Sunday night.
It later emerged that they had eaten homemade cookies containing cannabis.
Police said officers seized the remaining ‘cookies’ and a cannabis cigarette.
SDLP councillor Declan O’Loan said that while the discovery of cannabis cookies was “a novelty”, Ballymena was facing the same problems as other towns and villages across the north.
“Ballymena used to be known as the drugs capital, which was a nonsense – drugs are available in every town and village.”
