Police and council issue fresh warning over ketamine use

Both Lancashire Police and Lancashire County Council have issued a fresh warning over the use of ketamine.

Yesterday morning (9 April), officers from the Neighbourhood Task Force executed a misuse of drugs act warrant at an address on Belmont Grove, Burnley.

A quantity of ketamine and an offensive weapon were found inside which resulted in the arrest of a 23 year old male.

He has been interviewed and bailed whilst enquiries continue.

Inspector Matt Plummer said "Operation Shore is the Lancashire Police response to ketamine in the Burnley and Padiham areas and we are working in conjunction with our partners and the community to tackle the issue.

"We will act robustly on information received, just as we have done with this today.

"Those who are supplying this drug will be rigorously targeted."

It comes as only last month, Lancashire County Council released a report, indicating a plan was in place to tackle the issue.

It read: "During the last couple of years locally, regionally and nationally there has been a concerning shift in the pattern of ketamine use.

"The drug, which was formally associated with the nighttime economy and dance music, is now being used by a younger cohort of teenagers and young adults and has become a daily use drug for some people.

"It has been associated with physical damage to the bladder and potentially life changing impairments linked to this damage caused by daily / frequent usage.

"To combat this, work is ongoing with national, regional and local partners to develop new referral pathways, deliver training to allied professionals and increase referrals into treatment.

"There is also close working with the Police to support their efforts to disrupt the market. A revised detoxification and rehabilitation pathway for under 18's has been developed, together with improved pathways and identification with and by urology departments.

"A pan-Lancashire ketamine action plan has also been developed."

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