Ketamine is a powerful anaesthetic used in medical and veterinary settings. On the street, it's known as K or ket, and usually appears as a white or off-white powder. It's most often snorted, and can also be mixed with other substances, making its effects unpredictable and dangerous.
What Does It Do?
Ketamine is a dissociative drug — it causes users to feel detached from reality. Effects include:
Disorientation, confusion, and hallucinations
Numbness or heaviness in the limbs
Loss of coordination and mobility
"Out of body" experiences or entering a frightening state known as a K-hole
Because it dulls pain and awareness, users may hurt themselves without realising, or be vulnerable to assault, robbery, or exploitation.
Why Is It So Dangerous?
Street ketamine is often mixed with other drugs, like cocaine or benzocaine, making it hard to know the strength or contents. Even small amounts can cause:
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Sickness, memory problems, and confusion
Sexual dysfunction (e.g., impotence)
Severe nasal damage
Long-Term Harm
Ketamine is highly addictive, and frequent use can lead to:
Severe bladder damage, including incontinence, pain, or blood in urine
Permanent bladder dysfunction, sometimes requiring surgery or removal
Kidney and liver damage
Malnutrition and rapid weight loss
Abdominal pain ("K cramps")
Some users report flu-like symptoms, sweating, and shaking between uses.
Warning signs include: wetting the bed, being unable to control urination, unexplained pain, and sudden weight loss. These should never be ignored — seek urgent medical help.
Wider Impact
Beyond the physical effects, ketamine can:
Lead to school, work, or relationship breakdown
Result in criminal exploitation, such as being used to deal drugs to repay debts
Put strain on families and local communities
A Parent's Story
"We were suddenly drawn into the world of ketamine when my son's hidden addiction came to light. During our first emergency, he was disoriented and slurring his words. He'd sold his belongings to pay off debts. Watching him like that, surrounded by his younger siblings, was heartbreaking. Thankfully, the Young People's Drug and Alcohol Team stepped in. They were like an extended family — but the road ahead was far from easy."
If people are using ketamine it is important that they look after themselves to try and limit some of the more harmful effects. Some ways of doing this can include:
Not using every day, take some days off between use to give your body a break
Stay hydrated - drink plenty of fluids and eat well, take multi vitamins
Don't use alone- ketamine could be mixed with some other nasty substances that could make the effects of using worse, could cause overdose or risk of fatality. There is a risk that some batches of ketamine can be mixed with opioid type substances (nitazenes).
Use low and slow - start with very small amounts to test your batch, if something doesn't feel or taste right then it may cause you harm. Know how to get your drugs tested.
Spot early warning signs of possible damage - peeing blood or passing jelly like substances, abdominal pain. Seek medical advice from your GP. If symptoms get so severe, call 111 or go to A&E
Look after your mental health - if you start to feel bad, depressed, anxious, have insomnia, stop using and seek advice.
If you or someone else needs urgent help after taking drugs or drinking, call 999 for an ambulance. Tell the crew everything you know. It could save their life.
If you're worried about ketamine use — your own or someone else's — you are not alone. Help is confidential, local, and non-judgemental.
Young People Drug and Alcohol Team (YPDAAT)
Support for young people (13-19) or an adult concerned about a young person Call: 01744 675 605 Email: ypdaat@sthelens.gov.uk Visit: Lord Street Centre, Lord Street, St Helens, WA10 2SP Website: www.sthelens.gov.uk/ypdaat Instagram: @sthelensypdaat
CGL (Change, Grow, Live)
Support for adults (18+) using drugs or alcohol Call: 01744 410 752 Visit: Lincoln House, 80 Corporation Street, St Helens, WA10 1UQ
Making Space
Support for families and carers worried about a loved one's drug use Call: 01744 808 212 / 07540 768 014 Visit: The Peter Street Centre, Peter Street, St Helens, WA10 2EQ Website: www.makingspace.co.uk
