RESEARCH REVEALS BRISTOL INCREASE IN KETAMINE USE

Abuse of a drug prescribed to tranquillise horses is growing among
Bristol's youth, a charity claims.

DrugScope has found that Bristol is one of nine cities in the UK where
the use of ketamine as a recreational drug is on the rise.

The charity, which surveyed 20 areas countrywide, also found
youngsters injecting the drug.

And the survey, led by Bristol University's Professor David Nutt,
revealed the cost of ketamine had dropped by a third in the past three
years. It now costs generally just ?20 a gram on the street - half the
cost of cocaine - with one Bristol expert saying he had seen it sold
for ?6 a gram.

During its research, the charity spoke to Bristol drugs agencies and
the police.

Avon and Somerset Police said use of the drug was on the rise, with
one officer quoting seizures of 600 grams over the past year.

Previously legal, the drug was given Class C status by the Government
in January 2006 but outlawing it has had little effect on its rising
usage.

A average dose of ketamine is between 60 and 100 milligrams, meaning a
typical 'deal' of one-and-a-half grams contains enough of the drug to
get the user high up to 25 times.

The drug contains a combination of stimulants and hallucinogens,
leaving users feeling detached from themselves and others. Overuse can
cause heart or lung failure and there were 23 ketamine-related deaths
between 1993 and 2006.

Peter Weinstock from the Bristol Drugs Project said he became aware of
rising numbers of heavy ketamine users early last year. He said he had
spoken to one 20-year-old woman who needed her bladder removed after
heavy ketamine use. Another user, a man, built up a habit of using 25
grams per day in just 18 months.

Mr Weinstock said: "In this area it's a very pervasive problem, we are
surrounded by it - there is a whole social network on it. The alarming
thing about ketamine is that tolerance increases very, very rapidly.
It doesn't take long to get to the very extreme end of using.

"People believe ketamine dependence is rare but I don't think that's
true - I think it's going to be a huge problem."

DrugScope chief executive Martin Barnes said: "These trends are
concerning. Ketamine has been increasingly common on the club scene
but there is worrying evidence that people are experimenting with
larger amounts or are even injecting the drug.

"Ketamine's harms increase considerably at high doses and injecting
users risk exposure to blood-borne viruses such as Hepatitis C or HIV.

"Evidence of young people using ketamine is a particular concern,
especially as many users may underestimate the risks involved."

"It is essential that we provide young people with clear and accurate
information on the dangers of ketamine so that they can fully
appreciate the drug's considerable harms."

Inspector Paul Bunt, drugs strategy manager for Avon and Somerset
Police, said: "We can confirm there has been a rise in use of the drug
ketamine in the force area. The number of seizures of this substance
has also increased. However we're acutely aware of the issue and are
working with partner agents to make sure this problem is monitored and
tackled in the appropriate way.

"Anyone who takes this drug is reminded that it is an anaesthetic for
animals and therefore totally unsuitable for human use. Therefore they
are warned of the great dangers of using this substance."

Other areas reporting increased ketamine use were: Portsmouth, London,
Ipswich, Birmingham, Nottingham, Sheffield, Blackpool and Newcastle.