Joy Allen backs a government review as ketamine use hits record highs, raising concerns about its dangers and classification
County Durham: Joy Allen, the Police and Crime Commissioner, is really pushing for a review of ketamine’s classification. She’s concerned about how much this drug is being used lately.
In fact, the numbers are staggering. Last year, around 299,000 people aged 16 to 59 reported using ketamine. That’s the highest it’s ever been!
Joy believes that those who deal in ketamine should face the same penalties as those who deal in harder drugs like heroin. She’s calling for more efforts to keep young people away from it.
Right now, ketamine is classified as a Class B drug, which means serious penalties for those caught supplying it. But Joy thinks it might be time to bump it up to Class A.
The policing minister has reached out to experts to see if ketamine should stay as a Class B drug or be upgraded. Joy and her colleague David Sidwick are backing this review, emphasizing the need to highlight the dangers of ketamine.
She pointed out that while synthetic opioids are getting a lot of attention, we can’t ignore ketamine. It can lead to some pretty serious health issues, including long-term damage.
Joy is also involved in a national forum focused on drug issues, making sure that the approach to drug harm remains effective. She’s been active in pushing for bans on other substances and better support for those struggling with addiction.
It’s clear that Joy Allen is committed to tackling the rising ketamine issue and ensuring that communities are safe from its harmful effects.
