I had no idea ketamine was a problem with kids

[Lelophants]

I don’t remember this when I was younger, or was I just naive?

did anyone else not realise the growing problem with ketamine with kids as young as 12? Mostly girls. Scary stuff.

please warn your kids about bladder problems

No, no idea. Where/how are children getting it?

Mine are not as theyre only in very early primary, but someone was telling me about their friend and it’s on BBC news this morning.

TikTok around here

ugh

It’s really sad. Apparently it’s rife in schools in some parts.

It’s been an issue for some time. People buy it on social media, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat mainly.

Yes I watched that report on BBC breakfast this morning, terrifying really and very very sad.

In my clubbing days it was around a little bit. Not the usual drug of choice by any means. One guy in my circle used it more than most and I later heard he'd had to have surgery due to it. This was mid 2000's

Ketamine is one of the worst.
Bladder problems are inevitable.

I work in the substance use sector and there are TEENS who are incontinent.

One of my Dc works in emergency services apparently it is an epidemic and they are always dealing with teenagers using it, bloody terrifying isn't it ?

It’s not inevitable at all, ketamine has been used recreationally for a very long time and while SOME people get bladder issues most don’t. It depends on the levels of use. I know a lot of people who have taken ketamine and I know one person with bladder issues although I do know several people who’s lives have been ruined by it so I’m in no way saying it’s a good drug to use.

A relative of mine has recently come out of rehab for alcoholism. They said half the patients in there were teenagers who were in for Ket addiction. She said they’re incontinent and can hardly walk because they are in agony, and the only thing that eases the pain is more ket, which makes the problem worse. Two young people died in the month that she was in there. It’s terrifying.

I knew a Vet many years ago who was endlessly being broken into and robbed for his Ketamine supplies. Its not a new thing.

It's almost like 55 years of the War on Drugs® has been a total waste of everyones time.

Still 50 more to go.

ket is such a weird drug too, I never touched it as I watched my mates act like weirdos on it !

I know a couple of people whose older teens have ketamine addiction related issues, both boys who are heavily into the dance music scene.
I naively thought of it as a ‘clubbing drug’ the idea that girls as young as 13 are using it, let alone enough for it to cause issues, is terrifying!
How is it being ‘marketed’ on social media? What do they think it’s going to do for them? Is it the new “take speed to stay skinny” that was around in the late 90s?

It was in use over 20 years ago but was considered quite a ‘skanky’ drug at that time
amd used by people late teens to mid 20’s. Fast forward another ten years and it was popular with school aged children. Terrifying. I’ve seen the awful effects with bladder problems and one young person being left incontinent. It was always popular as cheap and easy to get hold of. I’m not currently up to date with the scene though. Grom
memory it was fast acting and users became almost like zombies and unable to move properly. However the effects didn’t last long.

It was becoming popular when I was a student 30 years ago. I suppose drugs cycle through fashions like clothes, ketamine came after ecstasy that time round too.

I think I first became aware of it decades ago form the Archers when 'Jazzer' broke into the vets to steal it to sell.....

I was shocked too, found out about a year ago when a friends daughter had to have her bowel removed and now uses a colostomy bag for life. She hates it, she’s only 25.

And vaping spice.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/06/psychotic-cardiac-arrest-children-vaping-prison-drug-spice

Ketamine used to be quite niche in that it was mainly pretty hardcore ravers that tended to use it. Like people into squat parties etc. and it wasn't really a 'mainstream' recreational drug until a few years ago. And addiction wasn't widely discussed. As far as I know.

Now it's massive apparently. And the amount people do is mad. Totally fucking up their bladders permanently. It's really sad.

It definitely was a thing in the 90s-10s but nowhere near as popular as things like E or coke. Now I think it's even more widespread than that?

It is inevitable if you are going to keep taking it. If you do it once a year, probably not. But a high proportion of drug users don’t have that sort of self-control. If you are a regular user of ketamine, it will cause damage. Typical, “it won’t happen to me” attitude.

And that’s precisely the point. Why are people taking a drug that is known to cause cramps, pain and incontinence. That sort of risk is insane.

I also knew a couple of people 20 odd years ago who took it. I could never get why, the phrase 'a-hole in the k-hole' was correct. The idea that children that young are going to suffer life long bladder problems is horrible.

Absolutely rife here when DS was at school and that was 10+ years ago.