The government is considering reclassifying ketamine as a Class A substance after a record number of people reported using the drug.
Ketamine is currently a Class B substance, meaning the maximum penalty for supplying or producing it is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.
Almost 300,000 people between the ages of 16 and 59 reported using the drug in the year up to March 2023 – the largest number on record, according to the Home Office.
Policing minister, Dame Diana Johnson, has written to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to commission advice on ketamine and to consider whether it should become a Class A drug.
Ketamine can cause serious health problems, such as irreversible damage to the bladder and kidneys, and is one of the most detected drugs in incidents of spiking.
Recent reports have shown ketamine is often used in pink cocaine, a dangerous synthetic drug cocktail taken by users without knowing what mix of substances it contains.
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Dame Diana called ketamine an “extremely dangerous substance” and said the recent rise in its use is “deeply concerning”.
“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.”
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She added: “It is vital we are responding to all the latest evidence and advice to ensure people’s safety and we will carefully consider the ACMD’s recommendations before making any decision.”
Independent experts at the ACMD will now assess the health and social harms of ketamine when misused and will submit their findings to the Home Office for review.
