Kick Out Ket campaign: Burnley community leaders join forces to tackle ketamine issues

Muslim and Christian leaders met with councillors and representatives from across health, social, and recovery services at a meeting earlier this month at St Matthew's Church. Fr Alex Frost, a vicar at St Matthew's, first heard about ketamine's impact on the town when a mum revealed that she was struggling to access support from social services. "A mum told me that her son was dealing ketamine and had become aggressive towards her," said Fr Alex. It prompted him to post on social media to see if other families were similarly affected by the Class B drug, which is a powerful anaesthetic. He had dozens of responses, leaving him feeling "really disturbed." "Ketamine is something some people don't want to talk about. It's a taboo subject. I do think it's a Burnley issue, a Lancashire issue, a national issue." The vicar believes there needs to be a stronger relationship between the police, social services, and the NHS, and is calling for authorities to establish children's ketamine clinics in Blackburn, Preston, and Blackpool.

"If you're over 18, your GP can refer you to Inspire or We Are With You," Fr Alex said. "My concern is that for kids between 13 and 17 who might be using ketamine, when they're referred into the NHS, the protocols are poor. "On our estates, some parents are in recovery from addiction themselves," he added. He worries they may struggle to support their children without professional help. Burnley Imam Ghulaam Mustafa Nawaz warns that across the town generally: "The reality is that our youth are being taken away." While he hasn't personally come across someone from the Muslim community using ketamine, he believes a proactive approach is essential. Coun. Lubna Khan, who has worked in drug and alcohol services, added: "I'm concerned about the things that go with [addiction]. We've seen as councillors the knock-on effect of drugs: the dark places that drugs lead you to. "Social care is unfortunately on the floor, and the services that need the influx of money are not getting it."