Bristol has emerged as Europe's ketamine capital, with levels of the Class B drug more than double those of Amsterdam, which ranked second, according to a study by the European Union Drugs Agency.
The research analysed wastewater for drug prevalence across multiple European cities. Bristol recorded a daily average of 339mg of ketamine per 1,000 people, vastly higher than Amsterdam's 149mg. Of all drugs tested, ketamine saw the largest increase, rising 41% from 2024 to 2025 across Europe.
Former students describe easy access
Metro spoke to two former University of Bristol students, who said they used the anaesthetic drug regularly. The pair, who did not wish to be named, said it was easy to access ketamine while living in the city.
One former student said he took ketamine multiple times a week for two years, sometimes while staying in with friends rather than going out. He said: "I probably would say I was addicted – feeling the need to use it a lot. As soon as I left Bristol, I haven't even touched it or thought about it since. It's like the city did something to me."
He added: "It's very much in the culture of Bristol. It goes hand-in-hand with rave culture, and it's very easily accessible." While he balanced work with drug-taking, he noted: "There were a lot of people who went to a very dark place: total isolation, always got it on them and constantly taking it."
Health impacts and charity perspective
The student said he realised he had to stop when he started suffering from 'k-cramps', a condition he described as causing "the craziest deep-seated cramps in your lower back" the day after heavy use. He said: "I've had my appendix burst, and that's supposed to be bad, but this was worse."
Another former student, who volunteered for the Bristol Drug Project, a harm reduction and treatment charity, agreed that ketamine use was intertwined with Bristol's music culture. He said: "A lot of people see it almost like alcohol in Bristol. I think it's sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If everyone around you is doing it, it becomes part of the culture."
A female student said: "There was a huge demand from the students in the student village, and it was really easy to get. Everyone just seemed to have some. It's obviously really sad, some of the implications of it. I knew a few people who became really seriously addicted, and it messed up their life quite a bit."
Police and council response
Superintendent Steph McKenna, Avon and Somerset's drugs lead, said: "It is widely recognised the serious harm illegal drugs, such as ketamine, can cause. For that reason we work closely with council public health teams and key partners – such as the Bristol Combatting Drugs Partnership (CDP) – to help keep the public safe."
She added that the force has made 91 seizures of ketamine this year, totalling more than 5kg. "Ultimately, our main focus is about stopping ketamine reaching people in the first place, which is why we would place greater emphasis on targeting drug suppliers who are profiteering from the misery drugs cause."
Bristol City Council said they recognise the risks and harms of the drug and continue to invest in prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services, including launching the UK's first regular drug-checking service. As a Class B drug, possession of ketamine carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine or both, while supply and production can lead to up to 14 years in prison.
