Ketamine could be upgraded to a Class A drug by the UK Home Office amid concerns the British public is consuming more than ever before. 

According to government estimates reported by the BBC, 299,000 people aged 16-59 used ketamine in the year ending in March 2023, the highest on record. Figures for the following 12 months were only slightly down on that at 269,000. 

The anaesthetic substance’s popularity as a recreational drug has continued to climb over the past decade despite being upgraded from Class C in 2014 due to emerging evidence about physical and mental health risks associated with excessive and habitual consumption. This includes potentially irreversible damage to the kidneys and bladder. 

Dame Diana Johnson, policing minister, will approach the UK’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to discuss and “carefully consider” changing the classification. Reports cited by the Home Office when announcing the proposal suggest ketamine is commonly found in ‘pink cocaine’, an illicit combination of substances which can also include MDMA and 2C-B.

“Ketamine is an extremely dangerous substance and the recent rise in its use is deeply concerning,” Johnson said in a statement. “Through our plan for change and mission to make the nation’s streets safer, we will work across health, policing and wider public services to drive down drug use and stop those who profit from its supply.”

Ketamine has also been linked to a number of spiking incidents in British venues. Meanwhile, the death of 38-year-old James Boland in Manchester, a result of sepsis caused by a kidney infection following “long term use” of the drug, led Greater Manchester South Senior Coroner Alison Mutch to call for a change in the law. 

“Maintaining its classification as a Class B drug was likely to encourage others to start to use it or continue to use it under the false impression it is “safer”,” Mutch said at the time.

If the change does take place, illegal possession of ketamine in the UK would carry up to seven years in prison, an unlimited fine or both. Supply and production could potentially lead to a life sentence. 

The rise in prevalence of ketamine on Britain’s streets mirrors increased visibility in the US, where prescriptions are easy to obtain and an unregulated network of clinics has sprung up offering quick access.

In the UK, a recently launched initiative, Safer States, has been introduced to address drug safety and harm reduction in nightlife settings. Revisit DJ Mag’s longread opinion piece on the importance of harm minimisation in UK clubs. Read The Loop’s guidelines on the use of Ketamine below.