Overview

• Ketamine, currently a Class B drug, is under review for reclassification to Class A, which could increase penalties for possession, production, and supply.
• The Home Office reported a record 299,000 users aged 16 to 59 in the year ending March 2023, prompting concerns over rising misuse.
• Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson has requested advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to assess health and social harms linked to ketamine.
• Recent cases, including a coroner's report linking long-term ketamine use to a fatal kidney infection, have highlighted the drug's severe health risks.
• Critics argue that stricter classification may deter individuals from seeking help, emphasizing the need for education and support alongside legal measures.