St Helens Borough Council Cabinet approves report on ketamine use among young people
St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet has approved a report to tackle the emerging threat of ketamine use among young people in the borough.
Article date: 4 September 2025
Ketamine is a cheap, highly addictive synthetic Class B drug. Although used in medical and veterinary practice, it can cause a number of serious and potentially fatal outcomes including, hallucinations, poor mental health, permanent bladder dysfunction, as well as liver and kidney damage.
Councillor Andy Bowden, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care & Health, said:
"Ketamine use has been steadily growing in popularity in St Helens Borough, particularly among young people. We recognised there was a problem early on and got ahead of the game in terms of efforts to address the issue, which is not just happening here in our borough - but across the country.
"Ketamine can have serious and lasting effects on a young person's health - and has even tragically led to deaths. It is vital that parents and carers speak openly with their children about these dangers and support them in making safe choices. For those struggling with addiction, seeking help early is crucial to prevent long-term harm and we have excellent services here in the borough ready to support.
"This set of recommendations gives us a clear path forward, working with our partners locally and pushing for national action - including calling for ketamine to be classified as a Class A substance - so we can better safeguard the health, wellbeing, and future prospects of our children and young people.
"I'd like to thank our Young People Drug and Alcohol Team who, together with partners, have been fundamental in raising awareness of this issue locally and across the region."
Key recommendations in the report include:
· Urging the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to review ketamine's classification and consider reclassifying it as a Class A drug.
· Calling on national bodies to issue guidance on tackling ketamine misuse and supporting affected young people.
· Expanding training for schools, frontline staff, and community partners to improve early identification and intervention.
· Strengthening data collection and information sharing to build a clear evidence base.
· Raising awareness locally by sharing lived experiences of the devastating impact of ketamine use.
· Equipping police with testing kits to better identify ketamine during seizures and target supply chains.
The review was carried out between September 2024 and May 2025 by a dedicated Task and Finish Group, working closely with schools, health services, Merseyside Police, and YPDAAT. Testimonies from affected families are also outlined in the report.
To read the cabinet report in full, visit: https://sthelens.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s171185/From%20EMB.pdf
Any child or young person up to the age of 19 can be referred to YPDAAT for drug and alcohol support. For more information, visit: https://yaz.sthelens.gov.uk/main-sections/drugs-alcohol/
For +19 drug and alcohol support, visit: www.changegrowlive.org