Ketamine use has increased significantly over the past decade in the UK, causing an array of physical and mental health problems for users.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) reported that the number of people who had taken ketamine in the past year increased from 160,000 to 264,000 from 2015 to 2025, peaking in 2023 with almost 300,000.
Viewed as a cheaper alternative to alcohol or cocaine, the drug is particularly prevalent among younger people but can cause severe damage to the bladder.
The South West Londoner spoke to two young person’s workers, Ellie and Jade, at the drug and alcohol support charity WithYou.
Ellie, 26, said: “Many clients report excruciating pain when they go to the toilet which can result in them presenting to A&E.”
Ketamine-induced cystitis, also known as ketamine bladder, leads to frequent urination due to the organ’s reduced capacity to hold urine, as well as blood clots and jelly-like substances being passed when the bladder lining sheds away.
Long-term ketamine use can also damage the kidneys, nose and live, as well as causing abdominal pain, known as K-cramps.
As well as the physical effects, there is a strong mental component in how the addiction begins and perpetuates.
Jade, 27, said: “A lot of the people we work with who are using ketamine often have some unresolved trauma, or do not have support for something that has happened to them.
“We have found that ketamine offers people something that therapy will never be able to, in the sense that they can completely disassociate, it relaxes them and it takes them out of their worries, which is why they keep coming back to it.”
Long-term users then suffer from memory loss, attention deficits and cognitive impairment.
Their dependence on the drug leads to a vicious cycle of use, as the short-term calming effect of the drug exacerbates users’ existing physical and mental problems.
The addiction also has considerable socio-economic implications, leading to unemployment and social isolation.
Ilana Crome, Professor of Addiction Psychiatry, said: “A lot of young people who are using ketamine and other drugs in a serious way have a lot of vulnerabilities.
“If they are not helped, it will have a long term impact on their employment, education and family relationships.”
Nevertheless, Professor Crome emphasised that ketamine was not as dangerous as some other drugs, and could even be used to treat mental health issues.
She said: “Although the use of ketamine has been rising in general, in fact, it has fallen slightly in the 2024-25 fiscal year.
“Ketamine is on the low end of the scale in terms of dependence and harm compared to alcohol or opiate drugs like heroin, and deaths from ketamine are uncommon in comparison.”
She noted that the majority of users do not suffer serious harm, and the ACMD report confirmed that only 5-8% start taking frequent high doses.
Professor Crome also highlighted that ongoing research has shown ketamine to be effective for treating psychiatric disorders, such as treatment-resistant depression or PTSD.
The drug was upgraded from class C to class B under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in 2014, but a possible reclassification to class A has been rejected by the ACMD.
Ellie said: “Reclassifying to class A would further increase stigma and reduce the ability for users to get the support they need. It would not reduce any harm.”
The most effective preventative measure for non-users seems to be education, especially raising awareness in schools.
For those that already take the drug, the best method appears to be harm reduction and reducing the stigma.
Professor Crome said: “The strategy should be health-oriented. Young people should be educated about the harms of ketamine and safer use with a strong public health message through the media.”
The effect of ketamine on users is undoubtedly complicated.
Multidisciplinary teams should collaborate so that urology teams, mental health services and drug services work in unison.
Even though some scientists are researching its benefit for treating depression, it can also exacerbate people’s mental health issues if they then become addicted.
The drug ultimately needs holistic measures to aid prevention efforts and limit the rising rates among young people in society.
If you’re worried about your own drug use, or if you want advice for someone you know, you can speak to a trained advisor for free via WithYou’s online, confidential web chat service: www.wearewithyou.org.uk
Featured image credit: Colin Davis via Unsplash
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