KETAMINE use in Britain has risen 400 per cent in the last decade, shocking figures show. In 2013, just 0.8 per cent of young people had taken the Class B drug in the last year - but this shot up to 3.
8 in 2023. Addiction levels have also dramatically increased, with many now living with incontinence and paralysis. It is particularly prevalent among young people as it's "pocket money cheap".
Depending on location, a gram can cost around £10, compared to £40 for MDMA and £100 for cocaine, according to Parliament figures. A single hit is available for as little as £3 - less than a pint of beer. Ketamine use hit record highs among 16 to 24-year-olds in England last year, with almost one in 25 trying it at least once, data from the Office for National Statistics reveals.
This is up a fifth from 2020, and almost four times higher than levels recorded 10 years ago. For all age groups, the figure sits at 0.9 per cent.
One in 20 young people are now considered regular users, and Home Office statistics show there has been a 884 per cent rise in ketamine seizures in just 12 months. People in Yorkshire and the Humber are the most common users, with 1.7 per cent of all residents aged 16 to 59 admitting to trying it in 2023.
This was closely followed by the South West (1.4 per cent) and London (1.3 per cent).
Those living in the North East (0 per cent) and West Midlands (0.1 per cent) were the least likely to have tried it. The most common users of the powerful sedative were those age.
