Lancashire Faces Ketamine Crisis with A&E Visit Surge Amid £10.6m Grant

Parts of Lancashire are facing a serious ketamine crisis, with a surge in emergency room visits among young users, as highlighted in a county council meeting. Ketamine, a powerful anesthetic that can be fatal especially when combined with other drugs, is becoming increasingly prevalent at festivals and in everyday life, leading to rising dependency among young people. In response, Lancashire County Council received a £10.6 million government grant for 2025/26, the largest in four years under the nationwide 'Harm to Hope Plan,' aimed at reducing drug-related crime and deaths while expanding treatment and recovery services for drug and alcohol addiction. The majority of the funding, £8.1 million, will be allocated to the Change Grow Live charity to enhance drug and alcohol treatment, with additional support directed to other local organizations specializing in recovery. Council members, including health and wellbeing lead Daniel Matchett, a mental health nurse, and opposition leader Azhar Ali, emphasized the need for focused prevention efforts and peer support to address the crisis, particularly in areas like Burnley. Plans also include increasing out-of-hours support to sustain recovery and prevent addiction escalation among young people.