A Christmas Warning: Ketamine Use Soars in Britain
Doctors and drug experts are issuing a stark warning to young people in Britain as ketamine use skyrockets, particularly during the festive season. Hospital consultants are now treating children as young as 12 for severe, sometimes irreversible damage caused by this drug.
The latest data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales reveals a disturbing trend: nearly three million adults have admitted to using illegal substances in the past year. Of those, 8.7% of people aged 16 to 59 have used an illegal drug in the last 12 months, with around 1.1 million reporting the use of a Class A drug.
Ketamine, once considered a party drug, is now one of the fastest-growing threats, especially among younger age groups. The survey shows a sharp increase in lifetime ketamine use among 16- to 59-year-olds since the Covid pandemic, rising from 1,010 respondents in 2019/20 to 1,369 last year, a 25% increase since before lockdowns.
Among 16- to 24-year-olds, ketamine use has risen from 5.6% in 2019/20 to 6.5% in 2024/25, raising concerns about the normalization of the drug among teenagers and young adults. Hospital doctors are seeing the consequences across the NHS, with a sharp rise in young people arriving at A&E departments after ketamine use.
Consultant urologist Alison Downey, who treats patients with severe bladder problems in Yorkshire, describes a disturbing trend: "The majority of patients we see are in their late teens or early 20s, but all of them have told me that they've started using a lot earlier, often in school." She adds, "I manage patients over 16, but I'm aware of colleagues treating patients as young as 12 or 13. It's shocking and frightening."
Ketamine is a powerful anaesthetic with legitimate medical uses, but illicit use carries serious risks. Doctors warn that it can increase heart rate and blood pressure, cause confusion and detachment from reality, damage memory, worsen mental health problems, and even be fatal, especially when mixed with other drugs. One tragic case involved the death of American/Canadian actor Matthew Perry, whose death was attributed to the acute effects of ketamine.
The drug's devastating effects on the bladder are particularly concerning. Regular use can cause severe inflammation, intense pain, and incontinence, sometimes leading to kidney damage. In extreme cases, patients may require major surgery, including bladder removal.
Drug experts link the surge in ketamine use to the Covid years, when isolation, anxiety, and disrupted education impacted young people severely. Harry Shapiro, Director of DrugWise, notes, "Ketamine use has been rising for years, and it's not surprising it surged during lockdowns, especially among students who were isolated."
The Crime Survey highlights ketamine use as common among young, urban populations in privately rented accommodation, a group often targeted by nightlife and party culture around Christmas. Treatment providers are already seeing the seasonal impact, with the UKAT Group reporting a record number of ketamine addiction admissions, mostly under 30.
Zaheen Ahmed, Director of Therapy at UKAT Group, warns, "Ketamine clients, some as young as 18, will spend Christmas in rehab. We fear party-goers will binge on ketamine during the holidays, unaware of the long-term damage and potential addiction."
In response to the rising ketamine use, the government launched a public health campaign in October, warning young people about the drug's dangers. Health minister Ashley Dalton emphasized, "Young people must understand that ketamine use can have profound effects, destroying your bladder and even taking your life."
