Ketamine is rapidly becoming the preferred illegal party drug, with police seizing more of the veterinary tranquilizer than amphetamines, new data reveals. Home Office figures show that law enforcement recorded 1,845 offenses for possessing ketamine in the 2025-26 period. This represents a 151% increase from the 735 offenses recorded in 2020-21.
In contrast, offenses involving amphetamines have more than halved over the same five years, falling from 2,576 to 1,209. The growing prevalence of ketamine, often referred to as 'K' or 'Special K,' is raising concerns about its impact on young people. A single dose can cost as little as £2, making it cheaper than a pint of beer.
The drug can induce a dream-like state, but excessive consumption can lead to a 'k-hole,' a temporary state of paralysis. Risks associated with ketamine use include heart problems, hallucinations, and potential fatalities, particularly when mixed with other substances or alcohol. Long-term use can result in memory loss, mental health issues, and organ damage.
Data from a freedom of information request to police forces across England and Wales indicates a sharp rise in ketamine possession offenses in specific regions. Merseyside recorded the highest number of offenses, with 331 in 2025-26, significantly more than the Metropolitan Police's tally. The actual number of offenses may be higher, as Home Office counting rules prioritize more serious drugs when multiple substances are involved, potentially masking ketamine offenses behind those of drugs like cocaine.
Furthermore, Home Office statistics show that a majority of individuals caught with ketamine face minimal consequences. In 2025-26, fewer than one-third of ketamine possession cases resulted in a charge. Almost half of these resolved with informal disposals, such as community resolutions, a substantial increase from just over a fifth in 2020-21.
Specialists at the UKAT Group report a growing number of ketamine addicts presenting with severe health problems, including incontinence and bladder issues, with some as young as 18. "Every single person we're treating for ketamine addiction has said the same thing to us: they never believed ketamine could cause this level of damage to their body," stated Zaheen Ahmed of UKAT Group. The organization is treating more individuals for ketamine addiction this year than in any previous full year.
Research has documented 696 deaths involving illicit ketamine since 1999. Recent public figures, including RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne and actor Matthew Perry, have been posthumously linked to the drug. Supermodel Cara Delevingne publicly shared her struggles with ketamine addiction in her twenties, achieving sobriety in 2022.
The increasing popularity of ketamine comes after the government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) rejected calls to reclassify it from a Class B to a Class A drug, which is the same classification as heroin and cocaine. A government spokesperson stated, "We are committed to driving down drug-related harms and deaths, and remain on high alert to the dangers of ketamine and other emerging drug threats. We are grateful to the ACMD for its report on ketamine. We are carefully considering its recommendations, including on the appropriate classification of ketamine."