Ketamine use is on the rise in the Netherlands as the popular party drug use has increased five fold over the past 6 years.
According to Trimbos Institute, ketamine related first aid visits increased from 2.7 percent in 2009 to 8.2 percent in 2017. In terms of usage numbers, Dutch over 18 use ketamine at a rate of 1.2%. Though this number is relatively low in comparison to other countries, the amount of seized Ketamine has steadily been increasing. In 2016, there was 2.6 kilos seized, while in 2018 the number rose to 800 kilos.
Ketamine is a popular party drug used in the nightlife scene. An Anesthetic that causes hallucinations, Trimbos Institute does issue usage warnings with short term use yielding potential seizures or paralysis and long term effects as potential kidney and bladder damage.
Featured Image: Coaster420 [Public domain]
