A young man from Coventry, identified only as Kai, has revealed that his daily ketamine habit – sniffing between 7 and 10 grams a day – caused his nose to collapse and his bladder to shrink by 35%. He continues to face complications today.
Kai also lost his job, his car, his home, his relationships and his support network, yet he still considers himself among the 'lucky' ones.
'I have watched friends die'
"I have watched friends be operated on, I have watched the life drain out of them," he said. "I have watched the same friends die, two in the past six months."
He described how others required emergency medical intervention: "One friend went to hospital and had what the hospital thought was a tumour removed. When the reality is, it was a large lump of congealed ketamine."
Ketamine deaths have increased 20-fold in the UK in the last 10 years.
From social lad to 'broken suicidal mess'
Kai began experimenting with substances at 13, progressing to ketamine at 16 as his life descended into chaos, reports Coventry Live. "I needed it to function, and I barely functioned," he said.
He now stands among several young people who have opened up about their experiences as part of a campaign, 'It's K to talk', designed to expose the devastating effects of the substance.
"I went from a social, energetic lad to a broken suicidal mess," Kai said in the YouTube video. "I used to look at addicts and think 'nah that will never be me, I would never get like that'. It soon changed."
His vital organs began shutting down, while both his physical and mental wellbeing rapidly declined.
Help and the campaign
He sought assistance and his life has now come full circle, with him currently working in drug and alcohol services, supporting young people caught in addiction's grip.
"I never thought I could change, but I could and I did. Ketamine ruined a large part of my life, but it doesn't any more," he said. "My friend's haven't got a voice anymore but I have and you have, so use it."
The campaign emerges as figures reveal that the number of individuals accessing support locally for ketamine has surged by 80% from March 2025.
'It's K to talk' is being spearheaded by Positive Choices, a service commissioned locally by the council's Public Health Team, and targets young people alongside professionals.
Sharon Bolesworth, Positive Choices and Evolve cluster manager, said: "The increase in ketamine use among young people is a growing concern and one that requires all of us, as services, communities, parents and carers, to work together.
"Too often we hear from young people who were unaware of the long-term consequences of ketamine until it had already begun to affect their health and wellbeing.
"The It's 'K' to Talk campaign is about breaking down barriers, challenging misconceptions and making it easier for young people to reach out for support.
"Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and through Positive Choices we want every young person in Coventry to know that support is available, confidential and free from judgement. By starting conversations today, we can help prevent harm tomorrow."
Efforts currently taking place across the city include multi-agency pathway meetings and professional training alongside a focused social media campaign targeting children and young people via Snapchat.
Further details and access to the campaign and videos can be found on the website.
