On this page, we’ve got tips for talking to your child about Ketamine. We also outline where you can find help if you’re worried about your child’s drug use. As a parent or carer, it’s important to talk to your child or young person about drugs. By doing this, you can help them to understand the risks and support them to make safe and healthy choices. In this section we will include links guide, about where you can get help if you’re worried about your child’s drug use.

The government has launched a new drugs awareness campaign to alert young people to the dangers of ketamine, synthetic opioids in counterfeit medicines and adulterated THC vapes.

Full press notice available here: Young people given stark warning on deadly risks of taking drugs – GOV.UK

What is ketamine?

The substance is sold as a grainy white or light brown powder. Looks similar to cocaine but is a very different drug. This is a Class B drug, which means it’s illegal to have for yourself, give away or sell. Being in possession of ketamine can get you up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both. Supplying someone else with ketamine, even your friends, can get you up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

Also called:  K  Ket  Special K   Super K   Vitamin K

How does it make you feel?

Ketamine is a general anaesthetic so it reduces sensations in the body. Trips can last for a couple of hours. Taking ketamine can make you feel:

• dream-like and detached
• chilled, relaxed and happy
• confused and nauseated

Ketamine can also:

• alter your perception of time and space and make you hallucinate (see or hear things that aren’t there)
• stop you feeling pain, putting you at risk of hurting yourself and not realising it

If you take too much ketamine you may lose the ability to move and go into a ‘k-hole’. This feels like your mind and body have separated and you can’t to do anything about it – which can be a very scary experience.

Regular ketamine use can cause:

• agitation
• panic attacks
• damage to short- and long-term memory
• depression, if taken frequently

The risks
Physical health risks

• Ketamine is a very powerful anaesthetic that can cause serious harm. Taking ketamine can be fatal, particularly if it is mixed with other drugs.
• Ketamine can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. It can make you confused, agitated, delirious and disconnected from reality.
• It can make you feel sick, and it can cause damage to your short- and long-term memory.
• Because of the body’s loss of feelings, paralysis of the muscles and the mind’s loss of touch with reality, you can be left vulnerable to hurting yourself or being hurt by others.
• Because you don’t feel pain properly when you’ve recently taken ketamine, you can injure yourself and not know you’ve done it.
• Ketamine can cause serious bladder problems, with the urgent and frequent need to pee. This can be very painful and the pee can be blood-stained. Although stopping using ketamine can help, sometimes the damage can be so serious that the bladder needs surgical repair or even removal.
• The urinary tract, from the kidneys down to the bladder, can also be affected and incontinence (uncontrolled peeing) may also develop.
• Abdominal pain, sometimes called ‘K cramps’, have been reported by people who have taken ketamine for a long time.
• Evidence of liver damage due to regular, heavy ketamine use is emerging. The liver has a range of important functions, such as cleaning your blood and removing toxic substances.

Mental health risks

• The longer term effects of ketamine use can include flashbacks, memory loss and problems with concentration.
• Regular use can cause depression and, occasionally, psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations. Ketamine can also make existing mental health problems worse.
• Interestingly, medical grade ketamine is now being researched as a potential treatment for severe depression, but it is too early to know the results of this research.

FRANK pages:

Page to request factsheets: New frank campaign launches today to raise awareness of the risks of prolonged use of Ketamine. | FRANK

Link to harms on synthetic opioids: Drugs cut with dangerous substances | FRANK

Ketamine: Ketamine | Effects of Ketamine | FRANK

Synthetic cannabinoids: Synthetic cannabinoids | Effects and Risks | FRANK

Downloadable Fact Sheets:

Ketamine 

Fake Meds

THC Vapes

Links to film content:

Ketamine: Ket: While each high lasts minutes. For some the damage to their bladder could last forever.

Synthetic opioids: Synthetic Opioids: What are they and why are they so dangerous?