Ketamine has left me wearing adult nappies and I don't want to die

A young woman has been left wearing nappies and fearing she could die owing to her addiction to ketamine as Liverpool deals with a ‘pandemic’ of the drug.

In the last year, border officials reported record swoops for ketamine in this region, standing at 2,046 compared to 1,337 in 2023.

Liverpool is regarded as the UK’s ketamine hotspot, with busts here more than five times the national average. Users say it makes them feel detached, dream-like and invincible.

However, it can cause nausea and hallucinations – and chronic use can lead to bladder problems, known as ‘ket bladder’ which is so severe that the organ has to be removed. Charities helping those address drug issues have said they fear ketamine use in Liverpool and the wider city region is the worst it has ever been.

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In a bid to address the “pandemic level” grip the drug has over the city, members of Liverpool Council laid down a motion to shine a light on what it can do to users. In a passionate speech to the Town Hall, Cllr Lynnie Hinnigan said “what I’m seeing terrifies me.”

She said: “Ketamine, once considered a niche party drug, has now become dangerously mainstream. Liverpool, like many cities across the UK, has seen a worrying rise in ketamine use, particularly among teenagers and young adults.

“Reports from local health services and youth workers suggest that this drug is more accessible than ever before, and one young person told me, it’s hard you just can’t escape it, it’s everywhere. It is cheap, easy to get hold of, and often mixed with other substances, making it even more unpredictable.”

Cllr Hinnigan said children as young as 12 were pooling their pocket money to access ketamine and becoming exposed to its harmful side effects, placing additional pressure on health services. She said: “This isn’t just about individual health, the rise of ketamine use is affecting our entire community.

“Schools are struggling with students who are disengaged and suffering from the cognitive effects of the drug. Families are being torn apart as parents struggle to cope with children whose personalities are changing due to prolonged use.”

The Belle Vale Labour member criticised social media companies for allowing ketamine use to become glamorised with videos filled with young people “k-holing.” Cllr Hinnigan also shared a powerful story of one woman she met gripped by addiction.

She said: “I attended the first ever ketamine addiction support session facilitated by the Lifeboat Project in north Liverpool, and it broke my heart. The participants, some in recovery, some still using, shared their stories, the pain and fear for their futures.

“How a 20-year-old beautiful young woman admitted to a room of strangers how she had to wear adult pull-ups, didn’t want to die, and was going to leave the session and reuse as she couldn’t cope with the pain. As a council, we have a duty to act.

“We need stronger public health education programmes in schools to warn young people about the dangers of ketamine before they even consider trying it. We need to educate parents, so they know the signs to look out for.

“We need increased funding for youth services to help those already affected and we must work closely with Merseyside Police to crack down on the dealers who are pushing this drug onto our streets.” Cllr Hinnigan said there was no time to waste for action to be taken on ketamine city-wide.

In closing her speech, she said: “Liverpool is a city that cares for its own. We cannot allow ketamine to steal the futures of our young people.

“The time for action is now. I urge this council to prioritise this issue, to invest in education and support services, and to send a clear message that ketamine has no place in our city.”

Cllr Liz Makison, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group, highlighted the “devastating” death of The Vivienne through ketamine induced cardiac arrest and how it had “brought home the dangers of the drug.” She added: “Liverpool has the dubious privilege of being the UK’s ketamine hotspot.

“We must put pressure on the government to properly fund young people’s mental health services.” Cllr Jo Kennedy shared how one mother had told her “it’s easier to get ket than baby formula.”

She said: “It’s cheap, it’s available for less than £5, and our young people, some as young as 10, are the target market.”