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Ketamine-Related Deaths Registered in Scotland 2013–2024

John Martin Corkery Orcid Logo, Amira Guirguis Orcid Logo, Fabrizio Schifano Orcid Logo

Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology and Addiction, Volume: 2, Issue: 1, Start page: 1

Swansea University Author: Amira Guirguis Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.53941/cna.2026.100001

Abstract

Background: Ketamine, a dissociative anaesthetic and non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, has legitimate medical applications. However, rising illicit use across the United Kingdom (UK) has been accompanied by growing reports of toxicity, dependence, and deaths. These have led to renewed policy...

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Published in: Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology and Addiction
ISSN: 3083-5070
Published: Scilight Press Pty Ltd 2026
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71230
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spelling 2026-01-13T09:56:40.2719966 v2 71230 2026-01-13 Ketamine-Related Deaths Registered in Scotland 2013–2024 b49270b9a0d580cf4f31f9a1b6c93f87 0000-0001-8255-0660 Amira Guirguis Amira Guirguis true false 2026-01-13 MEDS Background: Ketamine, a dissociative anaesthetic and non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, has legitimate medical applications. However, rising illicit use across the United Kingdom (UK) has been accompanied by growing reports of toxicity, dependence, and deaths. These have led to renewed policy discussions. Rationale and Aim: Previous national studies have reported ketamine-related deaths elsewhere in the UK, but not in Scotland. This study examined all Scottish deaths (2013–2024) where ketamine was implicated, to provide a comprehensive evidence base for UK-wide policy discussions. Methods: Data were derived from anonymised National Records of Scotland records. All cases where ketamine was implicated in death were identified. Descriptive and comparative analyses were undertaken by year, sex, age, manner, and substances co-implicated. Results: Eighty-eight deaths were identified (≈0.5% of cases), with a steady increase over time. Most decedents were male (81.8%); mean age was 35 years. Most (84%) were accidental and involved polysubstance use—typically opioids (58%), stimulants (55%), benzodiazepines (48%), gabapentinoids (25%), and alcohol (22%). Acute drug use was the principal cause of death in 85% of cases. Discussion: The marked upward trend parallels that observed elsewhere in the UK. Polysubstance involvement, especially combinations of ketamine with opioids or benzodiazepines, substantially increases fatal risk through additive central nervous system depression. These findings reinforce the need for clearer public health messaging, targeted harm-reduction interventions, and careful monitoring of misuse, prescribing and diversion trends. Conclusions: Scottish ketamine-related deaths increased twentyfold in a decade. Most are preventable, highlighting the need for continued targeted education, intervention, and epidemiological monitoring. Journal Article Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology and Addiction 2 1 1 Scilight Press Pty Ltd 3083-5070 ketamine, deaths, Scotland, demographics, causes, trends 4 1 2026 2026-01-04 10.53941/cna.2026.100001 COLLEGE NANME Medical School COLLEGE CODE MEDS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee European Commission (Drug Prevention and Information Programme 2014–2016; contract no. JUST/2013/DPIP/AG/4823; EU-MADNESS project). 2026-01-13T09:56:40.2719966 2026-01-13T09:47:03.3987513 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Swansea University Medical School - Pharmacy John Martin Corkery 0000-0002-3849-817X 1 Amira Guirguis 0000-0001-8255-0660 2 Fabrizio Schifano 0000-0002-4178-5401 3 71230__35973__cc32bfcdd1db4163a8dc511a0862ec68.pdf 71230.VOR.pdf 2026-01-13T09:53:48.4899390 Output 1818333 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Ketamine-Related Deaths Registered in Scotland 2013–2024
spellingShingle Ketamine-Related Deaths Registered in Scotland 2013–2024
Amira Guirguis
title_short Ketamine-Related Deaths Registered in Scotland 2013–2024
title_full Ketamine-Related Deaths Registered in Scotland 2013–2024
title_fullStr Ketamine-Related Deaths Registered in Scotland 2013–2024
title_full_unstemmed Ketamine-Related Deaths Registered in Scotland 2013–2024
title_sort Ketamine-Related Deaths Registered in Scotland 2013–2024
author_id_str_mv b49270b9a0d580cf4f31f9a1b6c93f87
author_id_fullname_str_mv b49270b9a0d580cf4f31f9a1b6c93f87_***_Amira Guirguis
author Amira Guirguis
author2 John Martin Corkery
Amira Guirguis
Fabrizio Schifano
format Journal article
container_title Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology and Addiction
container_volume 2
container_issue 1
container_start_page 1
publishDate 2026
institution Swansea University
issn 3083-5070
doi_str_mv 10.53941/cna.2026.100001
publisher Scilight Press Pty Ltd
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str Swansea University Medical School - Pharmacy{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Swansea University Medical School - Pharmacy
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description Background: Ketamine, a dissociative anaesthetic and non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, has legitimate medical applications. However, rising illicit use across the United Kingdom (UK) has been accompanied by growing reports of toxicity, dependence, and deaths. These have led to renewed policy discussions. Rationale and Aim: Previous national studies have reported ketamine-related deaths elsewhere in the UK, but not in Scotland. This study examined all Scottish deaths (2013–2024) where ketamine was implicated, to provide a comprehensive evidence base for UK-wide policy discussions. Methods: Data were derived from anonymised National Records of Scotland records. All cases where ketamine was implicated in death were identified. Descriptive and comparative analyses were undertaken by year, sex, age, manner, and substances co-implicated. Results: Eighty-eight deaths were identified (≈0.5% of cases), with a steady increase over time. Most decedents were male (81.8%); mean age was 35 years. Most (84%) were accidental and involved polysubstance use—typically opioids (58%), stimulants (55%), benzodiazepines (48%), gabapentinoids (25%), and alcohol (22%). Acute drug use was the principal cause of death in 85% of cases. Discussion: The marked upward trend parallels that observed elsewhere in the UK. Polysubstance involvement, especially combinations of ketamine with opioids or benzodiazepines, substantially increases fatal risk through additive central nervous system depression. These findings reinforce the need for clearer public health messaging, targeted harm-reduction interventions, and careful monitoring of misuse, prescribing and diversion trends. Conclusions: Scottish ketamine-related deaths increased twentyfold in a decade. Most are preventable, highlighting the need for continued targeted education, intervention, and epidemiological monitoring.
published_date 2026-01-04T05:36:59Z
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