'Ketamine addiction left me crying in pain'

A man who admits being addicted to the so-called party drug Ketamine says it has had a devastating impact on his life, leaving him needing bladder surgery.

George is among a number of young people reporting bladder issues due to chronic use of the drug.

"I was going to the toilet every five or 10 minutes. I had to stop working, I have to plan journeys, my social life's out of the window," the 27-year-old from Kent said.

George is now in recovery after a decade of addiction to ketamine.

"I used to go to festivals and it was a cheap drug to get," he said.

" I started using it socially but then I started using it daily."

Chronic ketamine usage affects the lining of the bladder, and can shrink it.

This can lead to an increase in the frequency of needing to urinate, infections, bleeding, blockages and incontinence.

George, who did not want us to use his full name, and started using the drug when he was 17, is now warning others about the potential impact of taking the drug.

"Many a night it had me in a foetal position crying because I couldn't go to the toilet.

"It's destroyed what I call life as I know it. A year ago I couldn't hold my toilet. I needed a cup in the van to go to the toilet when I was driving.

"I can't get the full use of my bladder back unless I have surgery," he said.

Ketamine is widely used in the NHS as an anaesthetic, sedative and pain reliever, and is also commonly used on animals. It usually comes as a crystalline powder or liquid.

Because of its hallucinogenic effects, it is also thought of as a party drug.

Tolerance is known to build up quickly, so users need more and more to feel an effect.

Ketamine is now classified as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, having been Class C until 2014

The maximum penalty for unlawful import, supply and production is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.

The maximum penalty for possession is up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.

George is being supported with counselling through the Kenward Trust in Yalding near Maidstone, a charity which provides rehabilitation for people with addictions.

The trust's chief executive, Penny Williams, said: "We have many people under 30, some are in their late teens and sadly ketamine is one of the key drugs they are becoming addicted to.

"I've been here for 10 years and I haven't seen as many people referred from that sort of age group before."

She says the trust has had to introduce new toilet facilities in its gardens to help those being treated for ketamine addiction who have bladder issues to go outdoors.

• If you've been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support can be found on the BBC Action Line

Michelle Fynes, a consultant gynaecologist , who treats patients with bladder problems, said it can have a dramatic impact on their quality of life.

"It can be devastating, not just on their social life, but their ability to work and maintain a job.

"Bladder symptoms can also been associated with anxiety symptoms and a loss of self esteem and ability to form and maintain relationships," she said.

In November a coroner wrote to the Home Secretary calling for urgent action over the classification of the drug following a man's death.

Ketamine was among the significant quantities of illegal drugs seized by Border Force in 2024.

A Home Office spokesperson said Border Force was becoming "increasingly successful in intercepting these dangerous substances at the border".

They said: "That is why we will continue working closely with the police and our partners to discourage drug use and to raise awareness, particularly among young people, about the potential dangers."

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