Barnsley Locals Risk Health With Ketamine Useage
Thursday May 24 2012
A CAMPAIGN is running to outline the dangers of using Ketamine as health experts say they have noticed Barnsley's young people don't understand the side-effects.
The ‘one bag leads to another’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the risks and dangers of using Ketamine - a drug which can cause serious bladder damage.
A spokesman said: "Many people who use ketamine are unaware of the potential for serious bladder damage to be caused as a result of long term use. Urologists at Barnsley Hospital have treated a number of young people over the last year whose bladders have been damaged as a result of their use. Problems caused by Ketamine use are not just physical, mental health teams around the borough have seen people whose use has had a serious impact on their mental health."
Already, a team of substance misuse officers and mental health teams have patrolled the town centre, giving out information on the dangers.
James Pierce, Addaction Harm Reduction team, said: “The campaign aims to increase awareness of health implications of using Ketamine and the dangers and risk of legal versions of the drug available on the internet. Just because a drug is legal doesn’t mean that it is safe.
“We know that many people use ketamine but that they may be unaware of the consequences of long term use. A normal bladder can hold 500 ml of urine; a ketamine damaged one may hold only 30. We want to make sure that if people use then they are aware of the risks and if they need help to stop then they know that there are services available that can support them.”
Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic, used in veterinary medicine but also as a paediatric and geriatric anaesthetic. It is a Class C drug but the government has recently announced that it will hold a full review of the legal classification of it.
The ‘one bag leads to another’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the risks and dangers of using Ketamine - a drug which can cause serious bladder damage.
A spokesman said: "Many people who use ketamine are unaware of the potential for serious bladder damage to be caused as a result of long term use. Urologists at Barnsley Hospital have treated a number of young people over the last year whose bladders have been damaged as a result of their use. Problems caused by Ketamine use are not just physical, mental health teams around the borough have seen people whose use has had a serious impact on their mental health."
Already, a team of substance misuse officers and mental health teams have patrolled the town centre, giving out information on the dangers.
James Pierce, Addaction Harm Reduction team, said: “The campaign aims to increase awareness of health implications of using Ketamine and the dangers and risk of legal versions of the drug available on the internet. Just because a drug is legal doesn’t mean that it is safe.
“We know that many people use ketamine but that they may be unaware of the consequences of long term use. A normal bladder can hold 500 ml of urine; a ketamine damaged one may hold only 30. We want to make sure that if people use then they are aware of the risks and if they need help to stop then they know that there are services available that can support them.”
Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic, used in veterinary medicine but also as a paediatric and geriatric anaesthetic. It is a Class C drug but the government has recently announced that it will hold a full review of the legal classification of it.
Leave a comment
comments powered by Disqus
Other Latest News
AUDITIONS for the ITV show The Voice 2019 are being held at The Garrison on…
COSTA coffee has been refurbished and reopened as a flagship store. There are only 8…
TOBY Tyke, Barnsley council and volunteers spent Friday April 20 clearing up Barnsley centre. The…
A TEN year old dancer has been shortlisted to win a 2 hour dance workshop…
BRITAIN'S Got Talent finalist Boogie Storm will be performing in front of the Town Hall…
A 35-YEAR-OLD is due in court on Friday April 20 charged with a string of…
HUNGRYHOUSE, the online takeaway service, is closing down after 12 years. The online service have…
A SCHEME has been launched in Barnsley care homes to help residents in the event…
PLASTIC straws and cotton buds may be banned in the UK as part of a…