For a 22-year-old wearing pads or nappies, it takes away all dignity,
said 24-year-old Megan, an aeronautical engineering apprentice from Flint in north Wales, describing the severe bladder damage she suffered after four years of heavy ketamine use. The drugs charity Kaleidoscope recorded a huge rise in referrals to its Birchwood detox and rehabilitation facility over a five-year period. Only two people were referred to the facility in 2021, compared to 112 individuals seeking help so far this year, with the majority of clients falling between the ages of 18 and 24.
Birchwood Facility Sees Referrals Jump from Two to 112 in Five Years
Jo Moore, who runs the Birchwood rehabilitation facility for Kaleidoscope, noted that half of their current clients are being treated for ketamine dependence.
It’s very, very cheap and very accessible — that’s what allows people to use it more frequently and at large amounts at the same time,
Moore said.
While younger adults have driven the initial wave of admissions, the facility has recently noted an increase in referrals for individuals aged 25 to 34, particularly across Cardiff and south-east Wales. Illicit ketamine use among people aged 16 to 59 in the UK reached an estimated 264,000 individuals during 2024–25. Over the past decade, the total number of people seeking treatment for ketamine use disorders has increased twelvefold.
University of South Wales Studies Rapid Health Harms
Researchers at the University of South Wales are currently investigating the specific needs of this younger demographic. Dr. Darren Quelch explained that the harm caused by chronic, escalating ketamine use develops much more rapidly and over a shorter timespan than damage associated with alcohol or Class A drugs.
Interviews with service users at Birchwood indicate that addiction often begins as early as age 13. Persistent use frequently leads to memory problems, chronic pain, kidney failure, and severe bladder damage. Dr. Quelch pointed out that traditional drug and alcohol services were not originally designed to handle such complex medical presentations.
Even if they were, we actually don’t know what the right answer is yet,
Dr. Quelch said, noting that his team is working alongside Kaleidoscope to determine effective support methods for this specific patient group.
Patients Detail Physical Deterioration and Social Isolation
For Megan, lockdown provided unrestricted access to cheap ketamine while she worked from home as an apprentice. At its peak, she used the substance all day, everyday, believing it helped manage symptoms associated with ADHD and borderline personality disorder. The heavy use eventually caused her to lose her apprenticeship. For the past two years, she has experienced severe abdominal and pelvic pain, requiring incontinence pads.
Mark, a 25-year-old from Liverpool, described a similar physical and social collapse. At the age of 25 I probably had the body of an 80-year-old,
he said.
Mark used copious amounts of cocaine and ketamine starting at age 18, leading to urinary complications, chronic pain, and the physical collapse of his nose from snorting drugs. He initially avoided seeking help from his local GP out of shame and fear of being judged. Dr. Quelch’s research highlights this barrier, noting that many young people struggle when visiting A&E or GP surgeries because medical staff often fail to connect their physical symptoms directly to ketamine use.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ketamine Treatment and Regulation
When was ketamine classified as an illegal drug in the UK?
Ketamine was reclassified as a Class B drug in 2014, making it illegal to take, carry, make, or sell. It is legally used in healthcare settings as a dissociative anaesthetic and in veterinary medicine.
How does ketamine rehabilitation differ from traditional addiction services?
Research by the University of South Wales indicates that ketamine dependence causes rapid physical damage—such as bladder destruction and kidney issues—that requires specialized medical care. Traditional services are often unequipped for these complex medical presentations, prompting facilities like Birchwood to introduce tailored peer support and therapy dogs.
What support is available for families of young users?
Rehabilitation centers like Birchwood provide dedicated support sessions for the families and relatives of young people struggling with ketamine dependence to help them manage the addiction recovery process.
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