Ketamine-related deaths have risen by 2000% since 2014, new data reveals
Experts have issued a warning around the dangers of mixing other substances with ketamine, including cocaine and opioids
Ketamine-related deaths have risen by 2000% since 2014, a new study has revealed.
Described as one of the most "detailed" assessments of ketamine-related fatalities in the UK, research was conducted by King's College London in partnership with the University of Hertfordshire and Manchester Metropolitan University.
The report reveals that in 2014, there were 6 deaths where ketamine was detected in coroner's toxicology reports, while ten years later in 2024, that number rose to 197. Between 1999 and 2024, a total of 696 such deaths were recorded.
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Despite this, the percentage of fatalities where ketamine was explicitly listed as a cause of death have declined, from just over 60% in 2014 to around 42% in 2024.
Between 2020 and 2024, 82% of deaths recorded were men. Around the same number were reported to be in full-time employment as they were unemployed (around 42%), while 11% of deaths were students.
The report reveals that between 2020 and 2024, the "demographic profile" of deaths shifted towards "greater deprivation," with death being deemed accidental in 88.5% of cases.
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Around 299,000 people in England and Wales reported taking ketamine in 2024, between the ages of 16-59. The report's authors are warning of the dangers of mixing ketamine with other substances, particularly opioids, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and gabapentinoids, which are "frequently co-implicated" in deaths.
“Illicit ketamine use has moved beyond the recreational setting," says Dr Caroline Copeland, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology & Toxicology at King's College London.
"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”.
Read the full report here.
Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter