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A growing treatment population. Serious and sometimes irreversible harm. Increasing pressure on health services.

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Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic with established medical uses. However, non-medical use can lead to significant physical, psychological and functional harm.

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12×

• Increase in adult treatment demand

• Ketamine-related treatment entrants in England rose from 426 in 2014/15 to 5,365 in 2024/25.

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1,465

• Children affected

• Under-18s receiving substance-use treatment in England who reported ketamine problems in 2024/25.

1 in 4

• Urinary complications

• An earlier study found that approximately a quarter of surveyed ketamine users experienced urinary symptoms, including pain, urgency and frequency.

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Life-Changing Surgery

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Severe ketamine-related bladder damage can become irreversible. In extreme cases, major reconstructive surgery or removal of the bladder may be necessary.

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Low Treatment Engagement

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A 2025 study found that only 36% of respondents who sought treatment for ketamine-related physical symptoms were satisfied with the care they received.

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The Problem Is Not Simply Dependence

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Ketamine-related harm does not always follow conventional patterns of addiction.

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Significant physical or psychological harm may develop without established dependence, frequent daily use or obvious deterioration in social functioning.

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The consequences extend beyond drug treatment, affecting urology, emergency care, mental health services, families and individuals.

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Why a Different Response Is Needed

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Recognising emerging harm, understanding psychological drivers and identifying changes in functioning are essential to providing timely, proportionate interventions.

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KASPR has been developed as a research-informed, ketamine-specific framework to support structured assessment and intervention.

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Sources: Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (2025), adult and children's substance misuse treatment statistics; Winstock et al. (2012), BJU International; Harding et al. (2025), Addiction; National Crime Agency (2026).