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Deaths attributable to illicit ketamine use have elevated 20-fold since 2015—however these deaths are more and more occurring in complicated polydrug settings, elevating doubts over whether or not single-substance drug insurance policies can scale back harms.
Evaluation by King’s Faculty London, with the College of Hertfordshire and Manchester Metropolitan College, of coroner’s studies in England, Wales and Northern Eire between 1999 and 2024 discovered there have been 696 deaths with detections of illicit ketamine between 1999 and 2024. It represents probably the most detailed evaluation up to now of ketamine-related deaths in England, Wales, and Northern Eire.
The examine, “Deaths following illicit ketamine use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 1999–2024: An update report to inform the reclassification debate,” has been revealed within the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
Ketamine is a Class B anesthetic drug that has hallucinogenic results. Its low-cost value—round £15–30 for a gram in comparison with £80 for cocaine—could possibly be driving elevated consumption, say researchers.
The variety of individuals utilizing ketamine in England and Wales has continued to rise, with an estimated 299,000 individuals aged 16–59 reporting illicit ketamine use in 2024. The drug has been implicated within the deaths of celebrities, together with Buddies actor Matthew Perry, and Elon Musk is reported to make use of ketamine for his moods.
Whereas annual deaths with autopsy detections of illicit ketamine have risen over the previous decade, the proportion of deaths the place ketamine was the only real or main trigger has fallen, reflecting a shift in direction of more and more dangerous patterns of polydrug use. Opioids, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and gabapentinoids have been often co-implicated in deaths, with the typical variety of substances concerned in every case additionally rising.
The examine additionally recognized a demographic shift. Whereas harms of ketamine use amongst younger individuals—resembling bladder damage and dependence—stay a critical concern, deaths are more and more occurring amongst older, socioeconomically deprived, and dependent drug customers, slightly than being confined to youthful leisure populations.
Dr. Caroline Copeland, lead writer of the examine from King’s Faculty London and the Director of the Nationwide Program on Substance Use Mortality mentioned, “We are seeing more ketamine-related deaths, but these deaths rarely involve ketamine alone. They are increasingly part of complex polydrug use patterns, often among people facing social disadvantage and entrenched drug dependence. This means single-drug policies, such as reclassification, are unlikely to tackle the real drivers of harm.”
The examine additionally exhibits 85% of the deaths between 2020 and 2024 have been males. Employment standing was reported for 77% of the deaths between 2020 and 2024, with 42% employed, 42% unemployed and 11% college students. The demographic profile of deaths shifted in direction of higher deprivation from 2020 to 2024. Dying was deemed unintended in 88.9% of instances with 5.9% decided as suicidal.
The authors name for a extra complete response to handle ketamine-related harms, together with: expanded drug checking providers and overdose prevention schemes, higher integration of ketamine customers into therapy pathways, and focused training on the dangers of polydrug use.
Ketamine may be prescribed medically as a sedative and is usually used on animals. However when ketamine is misused, it may trigger critical and typically irrevocable injury to the bladder. Mixing ketamine—a dissociative—with depressant medicine like opioids and benzodiazepines makes it tougher to guage the impact every drug is having, which can lead to individuals taking extra of every drug than supposed.
Dr. Caroline Copeland added, “Illicit ketamine use has moved beyond the recreational setting. To reduce deaths, we need harm reduction, treatment, and social support strategies that reflect the realities of polydrug use—not just legislative changes focused on one substance.”
Extra data:
Deaths following illicit ketamine use in England, Wales and Northern Eire 1999–2024: An replace report to tell the reclassification debate, Journal of Psychopharmacology (2025).
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King’s Faculty London
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Ketamine deaths have elevated 20-fold since 2015 with mixing medicine on the rise, UK evaluation finds (2025, September 29)
retrieved 29 September 2025
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