Recreational ketamine use has surged among young people in Liverpool and across the country, and has been described by health experts as an “epidemic”
00:01, 09 May 2026
Joe said he is enjoying his recovery and feels better than he ever has(Image: Handout)
A 21-year-old man from Huyton is set to have his bladder removed due to the severe impact of ketamine use. Joe Massey is sharing his story in the hope of preventing other people from suffering the same fate.
Joe said he developed serious physical and mental health problems due to the affects of ketamine, but like so many people trapped in the grip of addiction, he hadn’t realised the devastating impact it was having on his life. However, Joe is now in recovery, motivated to help as many people as possible, and raise awareness about the dangers of ketamine, as well as the vital importance of support services for young people caught up in the crisis.
Joe said he started using ketamine when he was just 15-years-old, recreationally at first, adding: “But then it just got a grip on me.
“[…] I was doing stupid things, things I’d never do sober, but I thought I could handle it, not really caring about my life, because I had nothing. It all happened quite quickly to be honest, and by 17, I was urinating my bladder out.
Joe said he is enjoying his recovery and feels better than he ever has(Image: Handout)
“I remember being at a music festival, and that’s when I noticed there was a problem. I was weeing big chunks of jelly, but I couldn’t stop. I’m not even sure I made the connection at first.
“I just carried on because I was in a cycle, where the effects of the ketamine, the bladder pain, it was causing too much pain, so I’d take more to dull the pain. It was terrible.”
The latest figures show most first-time ketamine users in Liverpool are aged between 14 and 16, and accompanying research has detailed the long-lasting health impacts of ketamine use on the human body.
Unlike other substances, where established pathways already exist, ketamine presents further challenges including patterns of use, rapid escalation, and serious and fast-developing harms, including bladder and urinary damage. As a result, health experts in Merseyside have highlighted the need to shift towards prevention and early intervention.
Professor Matt Ashton, Liverpool’s director of public health, previously told the ECHO: “It is so important to remember that you’re talking about real people and people’s lives and harm that they are experiencing. Poor physical health and poor mental health sits underneath each and every one of those statistics.”
He added: “When you hear the real life stories, they’re quite shocking and people in significant pain, not really knowing how to deal with the pain, sometimes needing medical interventions like bladder removal, struggling to mix with their friends, to socialise, to do the things that they were doing previously.”
It is a bleak picture, and one which Joe has real world experience, he added: “Ket takes your anxiety away, so it can be attractive in that sense, but it causes more anxiety than it could ever take away, and you don’t realise how much damage you’re doing until you stop.
“I could feel perfectly fine, put the drug down, and the next thing you know you’ve got a bladder half the size and you didn’t realize because it’s a painkiller.
“It isn’t a fun drug. Especially if you start at a young age like I did. Your bladder’s not fully grown, your body’s not grown, so you do 10 times more damage, and it is only going end one way, either in a mental ward or dead.
Joe became seriously ill due to ketamine use(Image: Handout)
“I nearly passed away twice because of it. It got to the point where I was really bad, and my family was saying ‘you’re going to die’, crying over the side of me in hospital.
“You think you’re invincible, that’s what we all think when we’re young, that we’re invincible, that nothing’s going to happen, and then it does, and it’s too late. I will try everything in my power to help people see the dangers before it is too late.”
Joe is now in recovery and is keen to raise awareness about the impacts of ketamine, and to advocate for more dedicated support and recovery services, crediting the help he’s received with saving his life.
Joe continued: “I’m sharing my story and my experiences because I don’t want anyone else to go through what I’ve gone through.
“I’ve been using social media, and so many people have reached out to me, telling me of their own struggles. Helping people is so fulfilling and really motivates me to want to create a real change and work towards getting more services for people in need.
“I’m looking at making my own charity, and doing charity walks, and raise money towards maybe funding things like youth groups, with education and advice around drugs and safety and recovery.
“Thankfully, I eventually switched on and realised I was not just affecting my own life, but the lives of everyone around me.
“It is scary asking for help, and also accepting it, but it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. That’s the word that I’m trying to spread.
“The reality is that I will have to have my bladder taken out soon, and I’m trying to get my head around it in a positive way. People say to me they don’t know how I do it, stay positive, but I just crack on.
“I want people to know there is life after drug use, and since getting help, I’ve never been better, and I’ve never felt better.”
Joe said he is enjoying his recovery and feels better than he ever has(Image: Handout)
We contacted Knowsley Council to ask about the current support services for young people suffering the impacts of ketamine use, and asked them to comment on the scale of the crisis in the borough and beyond.
A spokesperson told the ECHO: “Ketamine use amongst young people is an issue nationally and we are doing all that we can to raise awareness of the dangers of ketamine use with young people, their parents, professionals and the wider community to ensure people know the dangers and the signs to look out for.”
Adding: “[We have] a local drug and alcohol support service Change Grow Live (GCL) and the dedicated young person’s service (for aged 10-18 years) and a dedicated worker for young adults (aged 18-24 years) through Engage Knowsley.
“Ketamine support groups are also being delivered by CGL in Huyton and Kirkby every Saturday, anyone is welcome to attend.
“Capacity at CGL has been increased and training has also been provided to over 250 professionals to help to raise awareness of the issue and identify issues at an early stage.”
The spokesperson added: “CGL is also working with local hospitals to streamline pathways and increase access to specialist services where ketamine use is identified.”
To find out more about the support available, you can drop in to CGL, which has bases in Huyton and Kirkby, any time from 9am until 3pm Monday to Friday. You can also visit the website HERE.