Hamilton Morris explores the science and history of ketamine through conversations with artist and writer Timothy Wyllie, as well as doctors, therapists, and other experts. Travelling to India to investigate the drug's production and use, he examines ketamine's medical applications, recreational use, and emerging role in mental health treatment. By combining personal perspectives with scientific discussion, the episode offers an accessible look at one of the world's most distinctive psychoactive substances and the evolving understanding of its effects on the mind.
Ketamine has become increasingly common among young people in the UK, where its low cost and reputation as a versatile party drug can obscure the risk of serious harm. Following journalist Matt Shea through Bristol’s nightlife and free-party scene, this report explores how recreational use can progress into dependence, debilitating bladder damage, and other long-term health complications. Personal accounts, clinical explanations, and conversations with people involved in the drug trade reveal why ketamine has become so firmly associated with a generation—and why its growing popularity is raising urgent public health concerns.
