Generation K: The Ketamine Time Bomb
Introduction
Ketamine has emerged as a defining drug for a generation of young people in the UK, often referred to as Generation K. A 2020 report found that 1 in 30 young people had used ketamine in the past year—the highest rate recorded and significantly higher than in other European countries. As its popularity continues to rise, it reflects a broader shift in how young people perceive and use drugs.
At the centre of Generation K is a clear contradiction: ketamine is often viewed as a harmless party drug, yet it carries serious risks, including addiction and severe bladder damage. As use increases, so do cases of long-term health complications. In this report, Matt Shea explores how ketamine's rise is impacting a generation, showing how a drug seen as recreational can quickly become dangerous.
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Quotes
"Ketamine has become the has become the generation-defining drug for young Brits. Use has risen 30% year on year, mainly driven by 16 to 24-year-olds. It's no longer an underground choice. This strange, powerful drug is as mainstream as coke or E."
"Of course, when you do a lot of K, then you get K-holes. I see it personally as, like, that line between being conscious and unconscious. It transports you to another literally just, like, space and time."
"Ket's kind of become a staple of our generation, especially in the UK. It's just so versatile. I think that's one of the biggest things about it. It can be a party drug, a sedative, it can be a very introspective thing."
"Bristol is basically the spiritual home of ketamine. It's where there's more ketamine seizures than anywhere else in the UK. It all started in the '80s when some Bristol hippies were backpacking around India and realized that you could buy it over the counter there, and you can make tons of money if you brought it back to the UK. And now it's one of the most popular drugs in the free party scene here. There's even a term that people use, bristol bladder, to refer to the erosion of the bladder wall from prolonged ketamine use."
"In the last five years, it's rivaling cocaine on the party scene. You can sell hundreds of grams in a week. People have started to buy it more and more as the cheaper drug of choice."
"Don't touch it. And if you do, just do it in small amounts. It will absolutely annihilate you. And once you're hooked, you can't get out. It's almost very similar to the smack scene. You're always chasing that first time you've done it."
"One in four people who use ketamine, even once a month, have some kind of bladder symptom. When ketamine enters the bladder, it damages the epithelial cells of the bladder lining. These umbrella-shaped cells are designed to contain urine. But if they become too damaged, urine can seep through, damaging the inner layers of the bladder wall. This can scar the bladder's muscles, reducing its ability to expand."
"We spoke a lot about self-esteem, validation from people, me wanting to get attention from the boys. I've always struggled with my weight. But then it's mad that then I'd want to then replace those feelings with a drug that people call an ugly drug. You don't look pretty when you're taking ketamine. It's complete insanity, isn't it?"
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