Debate contribution: Ketamine: Reclassification

Debate contribution by Mr Stephen Dunne on 11 March 2025.

MLA

Mr Stephen Dunne

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

11 March 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Ketamine: Reclassification

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4855784

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I will conclude what has been a very useful and timely debate on such an important issue. I thank everyone for their contribution and the Minister for her attendance. I join others in commending the Larmour family for their tireless and courageous efforts on their important campaign. Sandra has fought with great dignity indeed to raise awareness of the dangers of ketamine and to seek its reclassification following the tragic and untimely passing of her daughter, Jeni. Her campaign is a powerful reminder that behind every statistic, policy debate and legislative decision are real people, families and heartache in every corner of our country. Sadly, the Larmour family is just one of many families right across Northern Ireland who have had their life shattered by the devastating effects of ketamine and so many other drugs, some of which have been mentioned here. Too many families right across our country continue to face that devastation, day and daily, right throughout the year. Figures that I acquired recently from the Department of Finance show, interestingly, that ketamine was mentioned on the death certificate of 12 people between January 2020 and June 2024, with an alarming jump from one ketamine-related death in 2022 to five in 2023 and three within the first six months of 2024. It is worth noting that last week's figures issued by NISRA show a worrying increase of nearly 50% in drug-related deaths in Northern Ireland over the past decade. That should shock us all. It is certainly a reminder of the gravity of the situation and of the fact that there is still so much more work to be done. Many young people throughout the British Isles are suffering from severe bowel health issues, which were mentioned, and various medical issues, but they would be perfectly healthy if they were not regular ketamine users and had never taken that first dose of the drug. They may have thought that it was a casual thing to do, or they may have done it through peer pressure or one of the many other ways in which people can, sadly, become addicts and have their life changed and ruined forever. I have read some shocking personal stories from users of the drug. My colleague Ms Bunting outlined some of those personal stories. They are a timely reminder to us all, bringing home the devastation and destruction that drugs can cause. I reference young people in particular, as the latest government figures show that drug use among 16- to 24-year-olds has tripled since 2016. That is, again, a very startling statistic indeed. As Members across the Chamber said, the relatively low cost of ketamine is a major concern, combined with the false perception that it may be less harmful than similar drugs. That has no doubt contributed to the startling rise in its use in our communities. I think that Members mentioned that, such is the widespread use of drugs, it happens not just in city centres but in urban and rural areas and that it is no respecter of class or colour. We welcome the review that the UK Government are undertaking and believe that local people deserve to have their say and to share their experiences in that process. I recognise that, in response to questions for written answer on the topic, the Minister has stated and repeated today that there is a role for the Department of Health and that it is a cross-cutting issue for a number of Departments. There is an Executive-wide place and space for making change. There is no doubt that reclassification would be a positive step forward. It is something that we can all get behind. I welcome the fact that, as the Justice Minister stated, she and the Health Minister wrote to the UK Home Office. That is certainly positive. The Executive have a Programme for Government commitment to tackling violence against women and girls. The connection between ketamine and spiking incidents should further encourage the Minister to do everything in her Department's power to make sure that action is taken and real change is made. I turn now to Members' contributions. My colleague Joanne Bunting eloquently proposed the motion and outlined a personal connection. She has spoken with the Larmour family, who should always be front and centre in our thoughts. Joanne mentioned the production in our schools, which is a positive demonstration to our young people of the dangers. It has reached over 3,000 children and young people in schools. Hopefully, it can be rolled out further in our schools to reach thousands more. She shared shocking testimonies from users that really highlighted the impact of drug use. Órlaithí Flynn spoke about the widespread use of drugs across every constituency in the country, the role for the Health Minister, the ever-rising use and dangers of online platforms and apps and the widespread accessibility that is at the heart of drug use today. She talked about a rapid drug-testing system, which should certainly be prioritised. Anything like that that can make a difference should be considered seriously. Danny Donnelly gave his support to the Larmour family's campaign and talked about the war on drugs in the UK. That is very fitting terminology: a war on drugs is required. He mentioned how the pattern of drug use —.

Yes, sure.

Thank you for the intervention. I was coming to that. I note that you said that the pattern of drug use has changed dramatically since 1971. The dramatic increase in the use of drugs in that period reinforces the need for updated legislation. Doug Beattie talked about the many victims and the tragic consequences that drug use can have. He said that it is not just those who take drugs who are severely impacted on but their families and friends. He outlined the need for additional addiction support services and said that those services must improve. Justin McNulty talked about the consequences of ketamine use and the tragic loss of young lives in his community. He said that the penalties for possession and trafficking are too lenient and he mentioned the importance of prevention campaigns and educational awareness. Deirdre Hargey talked about the impact of drugs on her community and the importance of not stigmatising addiction. She talked about the community toolkit in her constituency, which, she believes, has had positive impacts in tackling drugs. Connie Egan said that former users should also be involved the review. That is an important point: those people have a key role to play by telling their story so that lessons can be learned. She also highlighted the fact that, ultimately, the whole Executive have a responsibility to end the harm. Mark Durkan, the final contributor, said, rightly, that ketamine is not just a party drug and that tackling such misconceptions should be front and centre. Mark talked about the severe health risks and said that there is no such thing as a low-risk substance. He is supportive of reclassification. We have had a useful debate. I urge all colleagues to support the motion. We can send an unequivocal message that those who push and peddle drugs need to face the full weight of the law as we tackle the problem.

1,209 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:15 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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