Ketamine could be upgraded from a class B drug to a class A, the Home Office has said.

The government is seeking expert advice on the drug’s classification as ketamine use has soared in recent years, with 269,000 people aged 16-59 reporting ketamine use in the year ending March 2024 – a new record. Growing numbers of young people have also reported struggling with ketamine addiction.

Reclassifying ketamine as a class A would bring it in line with drugs including cocaine, heroin and MDMA. Ketamine was upgraded from a class C substance in 2014, after concerns were raised over its physical and psychological dangers.

Ketamine can cause serious health problems, including irreversible damage to the bladder and kidneys.

Currently, those who supply or produce ketamine can face a prison sentence of up to 14 years, an unlimited fine, or both. If the drug was reclassified as a class A, supplying or producing ketamine could result in life in prison. The maximum jail sentence for possession would also increase from five years to seven years.

The policing minister Dame Diana Johnson called the rise in ket use “deeply concerning”. Johnson is set to ask the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) whether its classification should be changed and will “carefully consider” its findings. The government is required by law to consult the ACMD before any changes to drug legislation are made.

Johnson has pledged to “work across health, policing and wider public services to drive down drug use and stop those who profit from its supply.” She added: “It is vital we are responding to all the latest evidence and advice to ensure people's safety and we will carefully consider the ACMD’s recommendations before making any decision.”

You can read our harm reduction guide on how to take ketamine as safely as possible here.