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Scottish Sun
17-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
The ketamine kids ravaging UK town as dealers hit PRIMARY schools & teen girls draw business plans to become drug lords
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TWO teenagers high on ketamine sway like zombies on the canal path yards from happy Burnley fans fresh from watching their team clinch promotion back to the Premier League. While the Lancashire town is basking in football glory, it's also tackling a growing ketamine epidemic which has seen kids as young as 12 hooked on it, with fears child dealers are bringing it into primary schools. 11 Recreational use of the horse tranquilliser has doubled in a year in the UK 11 Addicts have self-harmed and attempted suicide in the former mill town Credit: Getty The Sun can reveal that one 13-year-old girl dealer even created a "business plan" to set herself up as a drug boss, complete with profit and loss estimates, and had recruited dealers and runners to peddle the popular party drug - also known as 'Special K' or 'Kit Kat'. Teenage girls are feared to have been sexually assaulted while high, and addicts have self-harmed and attempted suicide in the former mill town where the white powder can be bought for just £10 a gram. Recreational use of the horse tranquilliser has doubled in a year in the UK, and it is believed to be made legally in factories in India as well as illegally in China, Laos and Vietnam. The Class B drug is then smuggled to Britain via Belgium or Holland and sold by county lines drug dealers. According to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System, the number of 18-year-olds in England entering drug treatment who identify ketamine as one of their problem substances rose to 917 in 2023-24 from 335 in 2020-2021. Ketamine is particularly damaging to the inner lining of the bladder, and heavy users can end up incontinent or needing to have the organ removed and replaced with a bag. The potent painkiller and sedative has become a hugely popular street drug due to its hallucinogenic and relaxing effects, but it can be highly dangerous. Hollywood actor Matthew Perry, who played Chandler in the sitcom Friends, died in 2023 after an overdose, and former RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne died aged 32 of a cardiac arrest caused by the effects of taking ketamine in January. In Burnley, tragic teenager Preston McNally fell into the Leeds-Liverpool Canal after taking the horse tranquilliser drug with three friends. His inquest heard that a witness saw them acting like "zombies" and could not control their legs. How ketamine can change someone's life at 'startling' speed revealed by Dr Catherine Carney 11 Tragic teenager Preston McNally died after falling into the Leeds-Liverpool Canal having taken the horse tranquilliser drug with three friends Credit: Facebook 11 Preston's inquest heard that a witness saw him and his mates acting like 'zombies' before he fell into the canal Credit: STEVE ALLEN 11 Local vicar Alex Frost has been campaigning about the dangers of ketamine Credit: STEVE ALLEN Local vicar Alex Frost, 55, who has been campaigning about the dangers of ketamine, told The Sun: "Tragically they could not help him as they were too out of it. "It's a pandemic here in Burnley. It's undoubtedly one of the ketamine hotspots in the country. "It's shocking the scale of it. It's due to the high levels of deprivation and also the cost of it." The married dad-of-three, who is the vicar of St Matthews Church, added: "We have seen 12-year-old kids being addicted. It's a pandemic here in Burnley. It's undoubtedly one of the ketamine hotspots in the country Alex Frost "And then the dealers groom kids with the latest trainers… the latest fashion gear, then they got in debt over it and have to sell more. "I know of one 13-year-old girl who did a business plan for selling ketamine. She had profit and loss margins - she had worked out how much she could get it for and then how much she sold it for. "If she had only managed to funnel that enterprise into something legitimate, that would be very impressive. "Her mother only found out she was involved in ketamine when she saw a picture of her daughter being held by her ankles and then dropped down the stairs of a house while they were all high on ketamine.' 'K-hole' The vicar, who turned to campaigning when a parishioner broke down in tears over the effect ketamine was having on her daughter, wants the drug to be upgraded to a Class A category. The synthetic drug's origins lie in the early 1970s, when it was developed as an easily administered anaesthetic for combatants in the Vietnam War. It became popular in the 90s as a clubbing drug alongside ecstasy. An excessive hit can cause temporary catatonia, known as a "K-hole". Former addict Finley Worthington, who racked up £22,000 debts over ketamine, told The Sun: "That's the ultimate hit. When you have experienced a k-hole, you chase it. 11 Ex-addict Finley Worthington raked up £22,000 debts over ketamine Credit: STEVE ALLEN 11 Eighteen members of a drugs gang who based their operation in Burnley, Brierfield and Nelson were jailed for almost 90 years in 2024 The 'heroin of a generation' Party drug ketamine has been dubbed the 'heroin' of a generation as users warn its true toll has yet to be fully seen. The potent painkiller and sedative has become a hugely popular street drug due to its hallucinogenic and relaxing effects. But for some, a party habit can spiral into a devastating addiction. Exeter University researchers who interviewed 274 ketamine addicts warn the drug causes 'high levels of physical health problems and psychological consequences'. They estimated that nearly half – 44 per cent – of British users suffering devastating side effects from ketamine do not get professional help. Sixty per cent had bladder or nasal problems, while 56 per cent suffered from organ cramps. Six in 10 interviewees had mental health problems and reported psychological issues including cravings, low mood, anxiety and irritability. One anonymous ketamine user in the study said: 'I feel it is the heroin of a generation. 'More information will only become available once more people my age begin to suffer so greatly from misuse that it can't be hidden anymore.' Another added: 'People know the risks of heroin and cocaine but not how addictive ketamine can become.' Read more here. "I have seen all sorts on the drug. One time I hallucinated that I was on a fairground ride in my bedroom and I was going round and round - it was crazy. "I chased that high to see that again." The 25-year-old was addicted to ketamine for six years and at times snorted more than seven grams a day. He said: "I was in hospital many times because of ketamine. It was very scary. "The pain was so bad that I ended up using ketamine as an anaesthetic. "Kids now take it in houses, parks or by the canal. You see them in clubs swaying like zombies." 'Hidden epidemic' Finley now works as a charity drugs counsellor and runs support group Ketamine Education Services. Shaking his head, he added: "We are seeing kids as young as 12 addicted to it but I'm sure it's being taken into primary schools and sold by kids just ten or 11. "It's shocking. It's a hidden epidemic.' One mum said her daughter's ten-month ket addiction was a nightmare. Kids now take it in houses, parks or by the canal. You see them in clubs swaying like zombies Finley Worthington Speaking to The Sun from her home, she said: "It was a living hell when she was suffering withdrawals. "She threw plates at us, attacked us and all sorts. My daughter self-harmed and talked about killing herself. It was a nightmare. "The Government needs to upgrade it to Class A. It is everywhere in Burnley - kids take it in parks and by the canals. "It's so cheap - they put pocket money in and club together to buy it." The devastating impact of ketamine Ketamine is a very powerful anaesthetic that can cause serious harm. Taking ketamine can be fatal, particularly if it is mixed with other drugs. Physical health risks In the short term, it can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, and make you feel sick. It can also make you confused, agitated, delirious and disconnected from reality. As it leads to loss of feeling in your body, paralysis of the muscles and loss of touch with reality, ketamine can leave you vulnerable to hurting yourself or being hurt by others. Because you don't feel pain properly when you've recently taken the drug, you can injure yourself and not know you've done it. The party drug can cause damage to your short and long term memory. Prolonged use can also result in serious bladder problems, causing an urgent, frequent and painful need to pee and blood stained urine. Although stopping using ketamine can help, sometimes the damage can be so serious that the bladder needs surgical repair or even removal. The urinary tract, from the kidneys down to the bladder, can also be affected and you may be left incontinent - meaning you can't hold in your pee. Abdominal pain, sometimes called 'K cramps', have been reported by people who have taken ketamine for a long time. Finally, evidence of liver damage due to regular, heavy ketamine use is emerging. Mental health risks The longer term effects of ketamine use can include flashbacks, memory loss and problems with concentration. Regular use can cause depression and, occasionally, psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations. Ketamine can also make existing mental health problems worse. Medical grade ketamine is now being researched as a potential treatment for severe depression, but it is too early to know the results of this research. Source: FRANK Ketamine is classified as Class B, with the maximum penalty for supply and production 14 years in jail. The Government said it was seeking expert advice on whether to reclassify ketamine as a Class A which would mean anyone supplying it could be handed a life sentence. Lancashire Police has launched Operation Shore to crack down on the supply of ketamine in Burnley and nearby Padiham. A boy of 15 was among those arrested in dawn raids. Cops are also cracking down on e-bikes and e-scooters being used to deal ketamine throughout the borough. Inspector Matt Plummer said: "We have seen a concerning rise in ketamine misuse across our communities, and it's vital that we respond both with enforcement and education." Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, director of public health at Lancashire County Council, said: "There has been an increase in ketamine use nationally so it is incredibly important for us to work together with our partners to help stop ketamine getting into our communities. "We are already providing support to those affected by ketamine and their families, as well as delivering sessions to children and parents to educate them about the dangers of ketamine. "In a very short period of time, ketamine can cause permanent damage to the body, including bladder problems, changes in mental health, memory, and damage to your nose, liver and kidneys." 11 Lancashire Police has launched Operation Shore to crack down on the supply of ketamine in Burnley and nearby Padiham Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd 11 Mobile police stations were set up as part of Operation Shore Credit: Lancashire Police 11 Finley says kids now take ketamine in houses, parks or by the canal Credit: STEVE ALLEN
The Sun
17-05-2025
- The Sun
The ketamine kids ravaging UK town as dealers hit PRIMARY schools & teen girls draw business plans to become drug lords
TWO teenagers high on ketamine sway like zombies on the canal path yards from happy Burnley fans fresh from watching their team clinch promotion back to the Premier League. While the Lancashire town is basking in football glory, it's also tackling a growing ketamine epidemic which has seen kids as young as 12 hooked on it, with fears child dealers are bringing it into primary schools. 11 The Sun can reveal that one 13-year-old girl dealer even created a "business plan" to set herself up as a drug boss, complete with profit and loss estimates, and had recruited dealers and runners to peddle the popular party drug - also known as ' Special K ' or 'Kit Kat'. Teenage girls are feared to have been sexually assaulted while high, and addicts have self-harmed and attempted suicide in the former mill town where the white powder can be bought for just £10 a gram. Recreational use of the horse tranquilliser has doubled in a year in the UK, and it is believed to be made legally in factories in India as well as illegally in China, Laos and Vietnam. The Class B drug is then smuggled to Britain via Belgium or Holland and sold by county lines drug dealers. According to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System, the number of 18-year-olds in England entering drug treatment who identify ketamine as one of their problem substances rose to 917 in 2023-24 from 335 in 2020-2021. Ketamine is particularly damaging to the inner lining of the bladder, and heavy users can end up incontinent or needing to have the organ removed and replaced with a bag. The potent painkiller and sedative has become a hugely popular street drug due to its hallucinogenic and relaxing effects, but it can be highly dangerous. Hollywood actor Matthew Perry, who played Chandler in the sitcom Friends, died in 2023 after an overdose, and former RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne died aged 32 of a cardiac arrest caused by the effects of taking ketamine in January. In Burnley, tragic teenager Preston McNally fell into the Leeds-Liverpool Canal after taking the horse tranquilliser drug with three friends. His inquest heard that a witness saw them acting like "zombies" and could not control their legs. How ketamine can change someone's life at 'startling' speed revealed by Dr Catherine Carney 11 11 Local vicar Alex Frost, 55, who has been campaigning about the dangers of ketamine, told The Sun: "Tragically they could not help him as they were too out of it. "It's a pandemic here in Burnley. It's undoubtedly one of the ketamine hotspots in the country. "It's shocking the scale of it. It's due to the high levels of deprivation and also the cost of it." The married dad-of-three, who is the vicar of St Matthews Church, added: "We have seen 12-year-old kids being addicted. "And then the dealers groom kids with the latest trainers… the latest fashion gear, then they got in debt over it and have to sell more. "I know of one 13-year-old girl who did a business plan for selling ketamine. She had profit and loss margins - she had worked out how much she could get it for and then how much she sold it for. "If she had only managed to funnel that enterprise into something legitimate, that would be very impressive. "Her mother only found out she was involved in ketamine when she saw a picture of her daughter being held by her ankles and then dropped down the stairs of a house while they were all high on ketamine.' 'K-hole' The vicar, who turned to campaigning when a parishioner broke down in tears over the effect ketamine was having on her daughter, wants the drug to be upgraded to a Class A category. The synthetic drug's origins lie in the early 1970s, when it was developed as an easily administered anaesthetic for combatants in the Vietnam War. It became popular in the 90s as a clubbing drug alongside ecstasy. An excessive hit can cause temporary catatonia, known as a "K-hole". Former addict Finley Worthington, who racked up £22,000 debts over ketamine, told The Sun: "That's the ultimate hit. When you have experienced a k-hole, you chase it. 11 11 The 'heroin of a generation' Party drug ketamine has been dubbed the 'heroin' of a generation as users warn its true toll has yet to be fully seen. The potent painkiller and sedative has become a hugely popular street drug due to its hallucinogenic and relaxing effects. But for some, a party habit can spiral into a devastating addiction. Exeter University researchers who interviewed 274 ketamine addicts warn the drug causes 'high levels of physical health problems and psychological consequences'. They estimated that nearly half – 44 per cent – of British users suffering devastating side effects from ketamine do not get professional help. Sixty per cent had bladder or nasal problems, while 56 per cent suffered from organ cramps. Six in 10 interviewees had mental health problems and reported psychological issues including cravings, low mood, anxiety and irritability. One anonymous ketamine user in the study said: 'I feel it is the heroin of a generation. 'More information will only become available once more people my age begin to suffer so greatly from misuse that it can't be hidden anymore.' Another added: 'People know the risks of heroin and cocaine but not how addictive ketamine can become.' "I have seen all sorts on the drug. One time I hallucinated that I was on a fairground ride in my bedroom and I was going round and round - it was crazy. "I chased that high to see that again." The 25-year-old was addicted to ketamine for six years and at times snorted more than seven grams a day. He said: "I was in hospital many times because of ketamine. It was very scary. "The pain was so bad that I ended up using ketamine as an anaesthetic. "Kids now take it in houses, parks or by the canal. You see them in clubs swaying like zombies." 'Hidden epidemic' Finley now works as a charity drugs counsellor and runs support group Ketamine Education Services. Shaking his head, he added: "We are seeing kids as young as 12 addicted to it but I'm sure it's being taken into primary schools and sold by kids just ten or 11. "It's shocking. It's a hidden epidemic.' One mum said her daughter's ten-month ket addiction was a nightmare. Speaking to The Sun from her home, she said: "It was a living hell when she was suffering withdrawals. "She threw plates at us, attacked us and all sorts. My daughter self-harmed and talked about killing herself. It was a nightmare. "The Government needs to upgrade it to Class A. It is everywhere in Burnley - kids take it in parks and by the canals. "It's so cheap - they put pocket money in and club together to buy it." The devastating impact of ketamine Ketamine is a very powerful anaesthetic that can cause serious harm. Taking ketamine can be fatal, particularly if it is mixed with other drugs. Physical health risks In the short term, it can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, and make you feel sick. It can also make you confused, agitated, delirious and disconnected from reality. As it leads to loss of feeling in your body, paralysis of the muscles and loss of touch with reality, ketamine can leave you vulnerable to hurting yourself or being hurt by others. Because you don't feel pain properly when you've recently taken the drug, you can injure yourself and not know you've done it. The party drug can cause damage to your short and long term memory. Prolonged use can also result in serious bladder problems, causing an urgent, frequent and painful need to pee and blood stained urine. Although stopping using ketamine can help, sometimes the damage can be so serious that the bladder needs surgical repair or even removal. The urinary tract, from the kidneys down to the bladder, can also be affected and you may be left incontinent - meaning you can't hold in your pee. Abdominal pain, sometimes called 'K cramps', have been reported by people who have taken ketamine for a long time. Finally, evidence of liver damage due to regular, heavy ketamine use is emerging. Mental health risks The longer term effects of ketamine use can include flashbacks, memory loss and problems with concentration. Regular use can cause depression and, occasionally, psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations. Ketamine can also make existing mental health problems worse. Medical grade ketamine is now being researched as a potential treatment for severe depression, but it is too early to know the results of this research. Source: FRANK Ketamine is classified as Class B, with the maximum penalty for supply and production 14 years in jail. The Government said it was seeking expert advice on whether to reclassify ketamine as a Class A which would mean anyone supplying it could be handed a life sentence. Lancashire Police has launched Operation Shore to crack down on the supply of ketamine in Burnley and nearby Padiham. A boy of 15 was among those arrested in dawn raids. Cops are also cracking down on e-bikes and e-scooters being used to deal ketamine throughout the borough. Inspector Matt Plummer said: "We have seen a concerning rise in ketamine misuse across our communities, and it's vital that we respond both with enforcement and education." Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, director of public health at Lancashire County Council, said: "There has been an increase in ketamine use nationally so it is incredibly important for us to work together with our partners to help stop ketamine getting into our communities. "We are already providing support to those affected by ketamine and their families, as well as delivering sessions to children and parents to educate them about the dangers of ketamine. "In a very short period of time, ketamine can cause permanent damage to the body, including bladder problems, changes in mental health, memory, and damage to your nose, liver and kidneys." 11 11 11 11
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ketamine 'stealing futures of our city's children'
Ketamine is "stealing the futures" of a growing number of teenagers in Liverpool, a councillor has warned. Councillors in the city agreed to draw up an action plan to raise better awareness of the extreme effects the drug can have. A letter will also be sent from the council to the Secretary of State for Health calling for ketamine to be reclassified a Class A drug. Labour councillor Lynnie Hinnigan, who proposed the motion calling for a ketamine action plan, told a full council meeting on Wednesday she had visited a specialist ketamine clinic in the city and heard first hand from a 20-year-old addict who had suffered incontinence as a result of using the drug. She said the woman had "admitted to a room of strangers how she had to wear adult pull-ups, didn't want to die, and was going to leave the session and reuse as she couldn't cope with the pain." Ketamine is an anaesthetic which is used in medicine as an anti-depressant and for pain relief. It usually comes as a crystalline powder or liquid. It is also thought of as a party drug due to its hallucinogenic effects. Ms Hinnigan told BBC Radio Merseyside that in her day job working with vulnerable young people, she was hearing about the drug "more and more". "It terrifies me," she said. "And you can see the impact on social media too, with teenagers sharing videos of people using the drug, they think it's funny but it's absolutely not." In her speech she said videos of young people "k-holing" - a state of dissociation and paralysis - was something "that some now see as entertainment". She added the effects of heavy use of the drug could include bladder and kidney problems, with some young people experiencing bladder failure and ultimately having to use a stoma bag. She said there needed to be an action plan with education campaigns and youth workers specifically targeting ketamine use. She also said dedicated clinics like the Lifeboat Project - a safe space for people recovering from addiction - should be replicated elsewhere in the city. In England, the number of under-18s entering drug treatment who describe ketamine as one of their problem substances rose from 335 to 917 between 2020-21 and 2023-24, according to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System. An anonymised 2023 survey of more than 13,000 secondary schoolchildren from 185 schools across England reported 11% of 15-year-olds had been offered ketamine at some point. The same study, conducted for NHS England, suggested the use of ketamine among schoolchildren had more than doubled in the last decade from 0.4% in 2013 to 0.9% in 2023. Professor of substance use at Liverpool John Moores University, Harry Sumnall, said one of the issues in Liverpool was a lack of local data about how widespread use was in the city. "Drug services tell us that the number of people seeking treatment is increasing and hospitals particularly urologists are concerned around really heavy use and the impact on the bladder – these are relatively rare cases albeit increasing in number," he said. The government said in January it had asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to commission advice on ketamine and to consider whether it should remain controlled as a Class B substance or become a Class A drug. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Seizures linked to 'dangerous batch' of ketamine Children 'needing urostomy bags' due to drug use Liverpool City Council
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Drag star The Vivienne died after taking ketamine, family says
James Lee Williams, better known as drag star The Vivienne, died from a cardiac arrest caused by the effects of taking ketamine, their family has said. The performer's sister Chanel Williams said her family "continue to be completely devastated" by the death of the 32-year-old and will be working with a substance abuse charity to raise awareness of the dangers of the drug. The RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner was found dead at their home in Cheshire in January, with celebrities and fans around the world paying tribute. An inquest is scheduled to take place in June. Cheshire Police said there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the performer's death. Simon Jones, Williams' manager and close friend, said the family felt it was important to share the circumstances of their death. He said: "I hope by us releasing this information we can raise awareness about the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it can do to your body." Williams, who grew up in Colwyn Bay in north Wales before moving to Liverpool, won the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2019 and went on to have a varied career in TV and theatre. They later became the only queen from a UK series to compete on the US version of Drag Race All Stars. Their family said they "brought the sparkle to life" and will be missed "for eternity" during an emotional vigil in Liverpool shortly after Williams' death. Celebrities including singer Jade Thirlwall and Ian "H" Watkins from Steps, as well as several fellow drag queens, attended the funeral alongside family and friends in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, at the end of January. The Vivienne was praised for raising awareness of substance abuse during their time competing on series one of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, where they openly discussed how they sought help for their ketamine addiction. The Williams family now hopes to continue this legacy by working with substance abuse charity Adferiad on a campaign aimed at opening up conversations about substance abuse and addiction. Speaking for the family, Ms Williams said: "Ketamine is an extremely dangerous drug that is becoming more and more prevalent in the UK. "If we can help raise awareness of the dangers of this drug and help people who may be dealing with ketamine addiction then something positive will come from this complete tragedy." Ketamine, a powerful horse tranquiliser and anaesthetic, is a licensed drug and can be prescribed medically, but its usage as an illegal substance is growing among young people. In England, the number of under-18s entering drug treatment who describe ketamine as one of their problem substances rose from 335 to 917 between 2020-21 and 2023-24, according to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System. Donna Chavez, a spokesperson for Adferiad, which runs a specialist detox and rehabilitation centre, said they were "incredibly grateful" to Williams' family for their support. She added: "Their courage in sharing James' story will help raise vital awareness of the devastating impact substance use can have. "We are seeing a worrying rise in the number of people using ketamine, often unaware of the serious risks it poses to their physical and mental health. "By opening conversations and challenging misconceptions, we can help prevent further tragedies and support those in need to find hope and recovery." If you've been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line. RuPaul says heart 'broken' after The Vivienne's death The Vivienne found dead in bathroom, court told The Vivienne's funeral has stars, doves and Drag Race crown
