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A council in the North-West of England has warned its local community about the dangers of buying fake diazepam online, through messaging chat groups and on the street after the deaths of two people in Cumbria. 

Cumberland Council urged people who have bought the drug by any of those means not to take it and have it destroyed at a pharmacy. It has partnered with Westmorland and Furness Council, Cumbria Police, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, Recovery Steps Cumbria and local NHS services to spread its warning to the public.

“(We) would also ask anyone who is aware of someone using drugs outside of a prescription to make those people aware of this warning and the risks,” Cumberland Council said.

It said concerns were raised after the two deaths were linked to fake diazepam pills.

“Using drugs obtained in this way without a prescription means there are no guarantees as to what the drugs bought may actually contain, or the dosage levels,” it said, warning the pills “often come in blister packs to look more convincing”.

The council urged people to only take medicines that have been “prescribed by a medical professional such as a GP and obtained from a pharmacist”.

Diazepam, brand name Valium, treats anxiety, muscle spasms and seizures or fits.