Viagra is being sold as a recreational drug in pubs and nightclubs across north-east England, a BBC investigation has found.

Health officials say they are growing increasingly concerned about the black market in the illegally imported anti-impotence drugs.

The pills are bought legally over the counter in countries such as India, then smuggled into the UK to be sold for huge profits.

One importer - who does not want to be named - told BBC Radio Newcastle they were being sold to healthy young men and women for recreational purposes.

The health implications could be rather profound

Dr George Rae, BMA spokesman

Each tablet costs about 40p in India, and are being sold in the UK for �10 per tablet - often making the dealers bigger profits than heroin or cannabis.

Dr George Rae, the regional spokesman for the British Medical Association, told the BBC the consequences could be disastrous for people taking the drug without medical supervision.

He said that people who use Viagra without a prescription are risking their health, and could die from complications.

'Could kill'

"The health implications could be rather profound," he said.

"All drugs have side effects... Viagra can react with nitrates, which are used by people with, for example, angina.

"This could be very, very profound and could kill the patient.

"Nitrates are also sometimes present in tablets and drugs sold in clubs.

"If a young person was taking a drug with nitrate in it... the interaction [with the Viagra] would be very, very serious indeed."

Sexual problems

The unnamed dealer told BBC Radio Newcastle, he imported tablets costing �75 from India and sold them to a dealer for �800.

He said: "I sold them in one go for �800... if you sold each tablet individually they would go for about �10 each."

He said the drugs were not likely to be sold to those needing them for sexual problems.

Pills shared

"The older blokes want them for obvious reasons but the younger lads want to try it for the novelty value and when they've tried it once, they like the effects.

"Lads do share them with their girlfriends... I don't know exactly what it does for a lass but they do get beneficial effects as well."

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said they were not aware of any particular trend in the north-east.

The Medicine Control agency said importing Viagra without an appropriate licence and selling the pills without a prescription were both illegal.