Mother raises awareness of ‘destructive’ ketamine after son’s death

A mother from Lancaster has backed a police campaign to highlight the dangers of ketamine following the death of her son.

Claire Bates’ 20-year-old son Archie regularly started using ketamine in October 2023. By July, he had suffered a noticeable decline in health and was found dead in December from the “chronic toxic effects” of his drug use.

The campaign, Operation Shore, aims to stop the supply of ketamine in Lancashire through pursuing dealers, and educating the public of the dangers of the Class B drug.

Cycle of harm

Bates explained how it does not take long for ketamine “to take hold – to properly take a hold – and destroy”.

The mother urged families to “know the signs and what to look for” so they can intervene before the drug causes further harm to their loved ones.

Ketamine can cause irreversible bladder and kidney damage. This pain drives users to take more of the drug, which leads to a cycle of further deterioration.

‘Targeting children’

Lancashire Police described ketamine as “a blight on our communities “, which is “especially insidious as dealers often target children and young people”.

“Our officers will use all the legal powers available to them to ensure we’re doing everything we can to stop illegal ketamine supply in our county.”

The police force warned: “Not only is ketamine dangerous and illegal to buy or sell, but it also funds organised crime which can ravage our communities.”