Ketamine: reclassification alone will not reduce harms
Adam Winstock, David Nutt, Caroline S Copeland
BMJ February 3, 2026 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.s222 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Commentary or opinion piece Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Esketamine Ketamine |
| Keywords | Public health Internet privacy Medline Gesture Data science Computer security |
| Key points | Argues that reclassifying ketamine without parallel public health action risks being a symbolic gesture rather than a strategy to reduce harm. |
Abstract
Without parallel public health action, reclassifying ketamine risks being a symbolic gesture rather than a strategy to reduce harm, write Adam Winstock, David Nutt, and Caroline Copeland
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- Ketamine use in a large global sample: Characteristics, patterns of use and emergency medical treatment. Journal of Psychopharmacology 2025
- Deaths following illicit ketamine use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 1999–2024: An update report to inform the reclassification debate Journal of Psychopharmacology September 29, 2025
- A long, strange trip: Ketamine treatment in psychiatry. Journal of Psychopharmacology October 27, 2025
- Tackling the growing burden of nitrous oxide-induced public health harms. The Lancet Public Health February 1, 2025