A children’s hospital in Liverpool has taken the unprecedented step of opening a specialised clinic to address the alarming rise in ketamine addiction in youth across Merseyside. Alder Hey Children’s Hospital launched the groundbreaking programme in May 2025, marking it as the first facility in the country specifically designed to treat minors struggling with ketamine dependency.

Overwhelming Demand Reveals Scale of Crisis

The clinic’s immediate success in attracting referrals has exposed the true extent of ketamine addiction in youth within the region. Senior paediatric consultant Harriet Corbett revealed that demand has been so overwhelming that the hospital has already expanded the service, adding extra slots to accommodate the flood of young patients requiring treatment.

“We’ve had to expand Friday’s clinic to put in some extra slots as we have had so many children referred in,” Ms Corbett told BBC Radio Merseyside. The rapid expansion demonstrates how ketamine addiction in youth has become a pressing public health emergency requiring immediate intervention.

Medical professionals at Alder Hey believe Merseyside faces a more severe ketamine crisis than other regions across the country. Ms Corbett explained that discussions with paediatric departments nationwide confirmed that “nobody is seeing anyone under the age of 16 yet” – though she emphasised that “yet is the important word,” suggesting this crisis may soon spread beyond Merseyside.

Alarming National Statistics

Government data paints a disturbing picture of the escalating ketamine addiction in youth crisis across England. The National Drug Treatment Monitoring System reveals that the number of under-18s entering drug treatment who identified ketamine as one of their problem substances nearly tripled from 335 to 917 between 2020-21 and 2023-24.

Even more concerning, separate government figures show that children and young people aged under 17 reporting problems with ketamine more than doubled from 512 in 2021-22 to 1,201 in 2023-24. These statistics represent real young lives being devastated by a drug that many initially perceive as relatively harmless.

The Devastating Reality of Ketamine Abuse

The human cost of ketamine addiction in youth extends far beyond statistics. Liverpool councillor Lynnie Hinnigan shared harrowing testimony from a 20-year-old addict who described the degrading reality of ketamine dependency: “admitted to a room of strangers how she had to wear adult pull-ups, didn’t want to die, and was going to leave the session and reuse as she couldn’t cope with the pain.”

This testimony illustrates the profound physical and psychological destruction ketamine inflicts on young users. The drug causes irreversible damage to the bladder and kidneys, often requiring users to wear incontinence products whilst trapping them in cycles of pain and dependency.

Understanding Ketamine’s Dual Nature

Ketamine occupies a unique position in both legitimate medicine and illicit drug markets. Within the NHS, it serves as a valuable anaesthetic, sedative, and pain reliever for both humans and animals. However, its hallucinogenic properties have made it increasingly popular as a recreational substance, particularly among young people who may be unaware of its devastating long-term consequences.

The drug typically appears as crystalline powder or liquid, making it easily accessible and concealable. Many young users initially experiment with ketamine at parties or social gatherings, not realising they’re engaging with a substance that can cause permanent, life-altering damage.

The Medical Emergency Behind the Statistics

Assistant coroner Richard Middleton described ketamine cystitis as an “emerging epidemic” among young people following the death of Joshua Leatham-Prosser, who was found dead at his Weymouth home in June 2024. Mr Leatham-Prosser had used ketamine since 2019, and the coroner noted that the drug’s impact on his bladder was “akin to acid attacks on the skin.”

This tragic case exemplifies how ketamine addiction in youth can progress from recreational experimentation to fatal consequences. The coroner’s stark comparison to acid attacks underscores the severe internal damage this drug inflicts on young bodies still developing and maturing.

Rural Areas Face Particular Challenges

Ms Corbett highlighted that rural areas of Merseyside appear to be experiencing particularly acute problems with ketamine abuse among young people. This geographical pattern suggests that factors such as limited recreational opportunities, social isolation, or reduced access to support services may be contributing to higher rates of substance abuse in these communities.

The rural dimension of the ketamine addiction in youth crisis presents additional challenges for intervention and treatment, as young people in these areas may face greater barriers to accessing help and support services.

The Urgent Need for Prevention

The establishment of Alder Hey’s pioneering clinic represents a crucial step in addressing the immediate medical needs of young ketamine users. However, Ms Corbett’s vision extends beyond treatment to prevention: “If we can get young people to come through their period of use and see the other side and realise life can be better without it, then we’re doing everybody a huge favour.”

This approach recognises that successful intervention requires not just medical treatment but comprehensive support to help young people envision and build drug-free futures. The clinic’s holistic approach aims to break the cycle of addiction before it becomes entrenched and causes irreversible damage.

Government Response and Classification Debate

The severity of the ketamine crisis has prompted local authorities to demand stronger government action. In April 2025, Liverpool Council wrote to the government requesting that ketamine be reclassified as a Class A drug, placing it in the same category as heroin and cocaine.

This proposed reclassification would reflect the serious nature of ketamine addiction in youth and could result in stronger penalties for possession and distribution. Such measures might serve as deterrents whilst acknowledging the drug’s potential for causing severe harm comparable to other Class A substances.

Looking Beyond Merseyside

Whilst Alder Hey currently stands alone in providing specialised treatment for young ketamine users, Ms Corbett’s prediction that other regions will soon face similar challenges suggests this crisis may be spreading. The hospital’s pioneering work could serve as a model for other children’s hospitals as they confront rising rates of ketamine addiction in youth in their own communities.

The expertise being developed at Alder Hey – from treatment protocols to understanding the specific needs of young ketamine users – represents valuable knowledge that could be shared nationally as this crisis expands beyond Merseyside.

The Path Forward

The opening of this groundbreaking clinic at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital marks a significant milestone in addressing ketamine addiction in youth. However, it also serves as a stark reminder of how quickly drug trends can evolve and devastate young lives.

The dramatic increase in referrals and the need for immediate expansion demonstrate that this crisis requires sustained, comprehensive responses. Success will depend not only on treating those already affected but on preventing future generations from falling victim to ketamine’s deceptive appeal and devastating consequences.

As other regions potentially face similar challenges, the lessons learned at Alder Hey will prove invaluable in developing effective strategies to protect young people from the serious health risks associated with ketamine use. The hospital’s commitment to helping young people “see the other side and realise life can be better without it” represents hope for breaking the cycle of addiction that has already claimed too many young lives.

Source: dbrecoveryresources