Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking through public health campaigns to warn people of the dangers of ketamine.

The Department takes the threat of ketamine and other drugs seriously, and is working with partners across Government to respond to existing and new drug threats, and to reduce and prevent the health harms. We are committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug problem can access the help and support they need. We know that drug treatment is protective, and the number of places in treatment for people who use drugs, other than opiates, is being increased by 30,000.

The Government has a drug information and advice service called Talk to FRANK, which aims to reduce drug misuse and its harms by increasing awareness, particularly for young people and parents. FRANK offers easy to read information on the risks of using ketamine and mixing it with other substances, and basic harm reduction advice.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has developed a briefing on ketamine for local areas, many of which are already mobilising in response to local need. The OHID also commissions drug education materials to be used by schools in personal, social, health, and economic education.