Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson is to write to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to commission advice on whether to make ketamine a class A substance, the Home Office has announced.
Illegal use of ketamine – which is currently controlled as class B – reached ‘record levels’ in the year to March 2023, with almost 300,000 adults reporting using it. Prolonged use of the drug can cause serious bladder problems that can require surgery or even bladder removal in some cases, as well as issues with the kidneys and urinary tract. ‘Recent reports have shown ketamine is often an ingredient included in “pink cocaine”, the dangerous synthetic drug cocktail taken by users without knowing what mix of substances it contains,’ the Home Office adds.
The Home Office has a statutory duty to consult the ACMD under the Misuse of Drugs Act before it can make any changes to legislation. Ketamine was previously controlled as a class C substance in 2006 and reclassified as class B in 2014, after advice from ACMD related to the increasing evidence of bladder damage caused by frequent use.
The ACMD will now ‘assess the evidence of the health and social harms of ketamine when misused’ and submit their findings to the Home Office.
‘Ketamine is an extremely dangerous substance and the recent rise in its use is deeply concerning,’ Johnson stated. ‘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. 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.’