Upgrading ketamine to a class A drug won’t stop the party
The Home Office’s tougher stance on ketamine will not affect its allure – it could even enhance it, writes drug expert Ian Hamilton
The Home Office has asked its expert advisors to consider reclassifying ketamine from a class B to a class A drug. It has become increasingly popular in recent years and is now the party drug of choice.
Ketamine was previously reclassified from class C to class B in 2014, and since then, the number of users has continued to rise. The most recent data available shows that 300,000 people report using ketamine, the highest recorded figure on record. This increase in use stands in contrast to expectations following its reclassification, which was anticipated to curb demand but appears to have had little effect on consumption levels.
Ketamine is a fast-acting drug that is used as medicine in animals and humans, so it has a legitimate purpose, as well as being used recreationally. It induces feelings of detachment, reduces anxiety, is relaxing, and makes users feel happy. These effects can last up to two hours.
![Actor Matthew Perry’s death was associated with the use of ketamine](https://static.the-independent.com/2024/10/26/12/Friends-star-Matthew-Perry-told-mother-he-was-going-to-die-soon-before-tragic-death.00_00_25_08.Stil.png.jpg)
But ketamine is not without its risks, and some of these are potentially life-threatening. The Friends star Matthew Perry is a recent high-profile user who died as a result of ketamine use. Often referred to as a “k-hole”, ketamine can induce unconsciousness, and as a sedative, it can quickly impact cognitive functions, such as decision-making, and respiratory functions, as well as breathing. All of these effects are amplified when ketamine is combined with alcohol, which is also a sedative – an all-too-common combination.
However, it is important to note that reclassification from class B to class A could significantly increase penalties for possession, potentially leading to longer prison sentences or higher fines. Under current laws, possession of ketamine can result in up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. If reclassified to class A, the penalty for possession could rise to seven years in prison or an unlimited fine, further criminalising users without necessarily addressing the root causes of use or reducing demand.
The rise in popularity of ketamine is, in part, due to its value for money; it is cheaper than cocaine and more widely available. The wholesale price of the drug is believed to have fallen from £8,000 per kilogram to £5,000 per kilogram, At a time when the cost of many products is rising, ketamine bucks that trend. We know that price and availability are key drivers of drug use: when the price is sufficiently low, and the drug is increasingly available, use rises.
The Home Office’s concern about ketamine is understandable, given the sharp rise in its use combined with the risks it poses to the health of those who use it. However, ketamine follows a lengthy line of drugs that have been reclassified upwards with no evidence to suggest this reduces their popularity, or the risks associated with it. This phenomenon is referred to as the “drug policy ratchet“, which observes that governments always raise the restrictions and penalties for illicit drugs use and rarely, if ever, consider reducing the penalties.
High-profile users of ketamine might be adding to the attractiveness of the drug. They add to the perception that it is a low-risk drug because these high-achieving individuals endorse its use. In parallel, ketamine has legitimate medical uses. Both factors could lead people to believe that ketamine is a drug that is relatively safe.
The rise in popularity of ketamine and its availability raises another concern. As a sedative, ketamine has been reported in incidents of drink spiking and as a drug used to facilitate rape – although little reliable data is available on the types of drugs used. What is clear is that ketamine is cheap and easily sourced, and added to this is the drug’s effectiveness in enabling unconsciousness, reduced ability to think clearly, and resist unwanted sexual advances.
There are many reasons to be concerned about the rising popularity of ketamine. The question is: how do we mitigate the potential harm this drug can cause?
The government’s push to reclassify the drug may seem like it is acting, but there is no evidence to suggest that this will reduce harm. There are two ways that the government could mitigate the problems with ketamine: first, a public health campaign that targets those most at risk of harm, making clear the problems associated with using ketamine, such as bladder problems through to overdosing. Secondly, funding and providing timely access to specialist help for those that develop problems with ketamine. This would mean expanding existing specialist drug treatment services, which have seen their budgets cut over the last decade.
But none of these interventions grab the headlines in the way that getting tougher on drugs does.
Ian Hamilton is a senior lecturer in addiction and mental health at the University of York
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