Millar, Seán ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4453-8446
(2024)
‘K culture’ – the emergence of ketamine on the Irish drug scene.
Drugnet Ireland,
Issue 89, Autumn 2024,
pp. 49-50.
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In January 2024, addiction services warned of a concerning increase in the use of ketamine in Ireland. In 2023, Revenue seized 41.2 kg of ketamine, valued at €2.47m. The drug, known for its use as a horse tranquiliser, has become popular among revellers at festivals and parties. In 2022, Revenue seized 7.86 kg of ketamine, while in 2021 officers seized 25.19 kg of the drug.1 A letter to the editor of the Irish Journal of Medical Science (IJMS) by the HSE National Social Inclusion Office noted that ketamine has become a prominent feature of recreational drug repertories in Ireland, often used in combination with other ‘club drugs’ for stimulant and euphoric effects when socialising.2
A 2019 review of festival drug use found that 63% of respondents to a web survey (n=1093) had used ketamine at an event in Ireland within the last year.3 Ketamine use was also confirmed as a common trend among third-level students in the Drug Use in Higher Education in Ireland (DUHEI) Survey 2021.
Of the 11,592 respondents, ketamine was the fourth most commonly used drug, with 16% of students reporting that they had have ever used ketamine in their lifetime, and 46.7% of those considered ‘current substance users’ reporting ketamine use.4 Recent use was further identified in Irish results from the European Web Survey on Drugs 2021 (n=5796), where 23% of respondents reported ketamine use, which positioned it as the fourth highest drug used among participants following cannabis, cocaine, and ecstasy.5
Findings from HSE Safer Nightlife Programme harm reduction outreach and ‘back of house’ drug checking in 2022–2023 found that across four festival events, among 266 substances surrendered to the HSE, 117 were ecstasy, 40 were ketamine, and 34 were cocaine.6
In their letter to the IJMS,2 Killeen et al. noted that results for ketamine use in Ireland from the European Web Survey on Drugs 2021 were considerably higher than the overall proportion of ketamine use reported from the other 30 participating countries.5 They suggest that the upward trajectory in the use of ketamine and the evolution of ketamine products may lead to increased risks for people who use drugs and new issues for healthcare providers.
They recommend the inclusion of ketamine in national drug surveys in Ireland to capture the prevalence of use among the general population over time and suggest that physicians should be aware of the signs and symptoms of long-term ketamine use and consider this within their healthcare screening, particularly in presentations relating to cognitive or bladder problems among young people.
1 Loughlin E and Murphy A (2024) Warning of increase in ketamine use as seizures of drug spike. Irish Examiner, 21 January 2024. Available from: https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41313883.html
2 Killeen N, McNamara S and Keenan E (2024) ‘K culture’, ketamine’s prominent yet overlooked role on the Irish drug scene and implications for health [Letter to the editor]. Ir J Med Sci, 193: 1557–1559. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/40174/
3 Ivers JH, Killeen N and Keenan E (2022) Drug use, harm-reduction practices and attitudes toward the utilisation of drug safety testing services in an Irish cohort of festival-goers. Ir J Med Sci, 191(4): 1701–1710. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/34860/
4 Byrne M, Dick S, Ryan L et al. (2022) The Drug Use in Higher Education in Ireland (DUHEI) Survey 2021: main findings. Cork: University College Cork. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/35515/
5 Mongan D, Killeen N, Evans D, Millar SR, Keenan E and Galvin B (2022) European Web Survey on Drugs 2021: Irish results. Dublin: Health Research Board. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/36571/
6 Killeen N, Corrigan N and Keenan E (2023) The HSE ‘Safer Nightlife’ Programme 2022: volunteer feedback on the provision of harm reduction outreach in Irish festival settings. Dublin: Health Service Executive. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/39205/
A Substance use and dependence > Effects or consequences
B Substances > New (novel) psychoactive substances > Aminoindanes / Arylalkylamines / Arylcyclohexylamines > Ketamine
L Social psychology and related concepts > Social context > Context encouraging substance use
MM-MO Crime and law > Substance related offence > Drug offence > Illegal distribution of drugs (drug market / dealing)
VA Geographic area > Europe > Ireland
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