The rise of ketamine addiction in Britain – podcast

Ketamine use in England and Wales has doubled since 2016.

The rise, as a journalist Elle Hunt explains, is especially noticeable among young people. And it seems this has taken the healthcare system by surprise, with practitioners often unable to provide the right treatment for the specific challenges posed by ketamine addiction.

What’s behind the rise of the drug once best known as a horse tranquilizer? And what does it say about Britain that so many use the country to self-medicate, to relieve physical pain, anxiety or depression?

Helen Pidd hears of Jack Curran about why he started using ketamine, the devastating impact the addiction had on his health, and how he finally managed to get clean.