Trends in ketamine use among nightclub attendees in New York City, 2017-2024.
The International journal on drug policy June 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104825 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Repeated cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3,332 |
| Population | Adults entering randomly selected nightclubs in New York City |
| Duration | 2017-2024 |
| Topics | Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Drug trends Hallucinogens Nightclub attendees Nightlife culture Recreational drugs Ketamine abuse Substance use patterns |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | Between 2017 and 2024, past-month ketamine use among nightclub attendees more than doubled, from 3.1% to 6.8%, with the largest relative increases among older adults, females, college graduates, and people identifying as bisexual or other sexuality. |
Abstract
Ketamine-related poisonings and law enforcement seizures have been increasing in the United States, but population surveys suggest that recreational use has been rare with trends being relatively stable. This study aimed to estimate trends and correlates of use among nightclub attendees-a population known for high prevalence of party drug use. Adults entering randomly selected nightclubs in New York City were surveyed in 2017 (n = 674), 2018 (n = 724), 2019 (n = 541), 2021 (n = 160), 2022 (n = 322), and 2024 (n = 911) (total N = 3332; 56.3 % male, 52.7 % age ≥26). Trends in lifetime, past-year, and past-month ketamine use were estimated using logistic regression, and correlates and trends in characteristics of people who used in the past month were also estimated. Between 2017 and 2024, lifetime ketamine use increased from 16.6 % to 22.7 % (a 36.7 % increase), past-year use increased from 7.4 % to 14.3 % (a 94.0 % increase), and past-month use increased from 3.1 % to 6.8 % (an 118.1 % increase, Ps<0.001). Past-month use particularly increased among those aged ≥26 (by 222.0 %), females (by 216.6 %), those with a college degree (by 161.0 %), and among people who identify as bisexual or "other" sexuality (by 445.0 %), and among those who used cocaine (by 213.8 %), ecstasy/MDMA (by 94.9 %), and/or LSD (238.2 %) in the past month (Ps<0.01). Identifying as gay/lesbian (aOR=2.03, 95 % CI: 1.19-3.48) and past-month use of cocaine (aOR=8.17, 95 % CI: 4.97-13.43) in particular were associated with increased odds for past-month use. Recreational ketamine use is increasing among this population so an increased focus on both prevention and harm reduction is needed.