Deaths linked to illicit ketamine use in the UK have risen sharply over the past decade, with a 20-fold increase since 2015. Researchers identified 696 deaths involving illicit ketamine during that period, making this the most comprehensive study to date on ketamine-related fatalities in the region. While deaths involving ketamine have risen dramatically, the study shows that the number of cases where ketamine alone was the primary cause has fallen. Instead, deaths are increasingly linked to people mixing ketamine with other substances such as opioids, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and gabapentinoids. “We are seeing more ketamine-related deaths, but these deaths rarely involve ketamine alone,” she said.