A Coroner in Manchester has written to the Home Secretary over her fears over the classification of Ketamine
Alison Mutch, Greater Manchester South coroner has in a prevention of death report said that classifying ketamine as a Class B drug rather than Class A was “likely to encourage others to start to use it or continue to use it under the false impression it is ‘safer’.”
The letter follows the inquest into the death of thirty eight year old James Boland, who died of sepsis caused by a kidney infection which was “a complication of long-term use of ketamine”.
She added that hid perception that it was less harmful was based on the fact it is designated as a class B rather than Class A drug.
The evidence before the inquest was that Ketamine is a deeply harmful substance when used outside the purposes for which it is licenced for prescribing by clinicians and that users such as Mr Boland are unable to give it up despite knowing how dangerous it is to their health.
