Gemma Weeks

Department for Education

The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP
Secretary of State for Education

Brendan Joseph Allen
Area Coroner for the Coroner Area of Dorset

fl v i(J LL /

Investigation and Inquest into the death of Gemma Weeks

Response to Regulation 28 Report

/ 7

October 2025

I am sending this letter in response to the Regulation 28 Report to prevent Future
Deaths, and accompanying reasons detailed in the report dated jgth August 2025. I
know that you sent your report to the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for
Health and Social Care too. Ministers in the Home Office will be replying to your
concerns about the classification of ketamine under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971,
and Ministers at the Department for Health and Social Care will be addressing harm
reduction and prevention.

I want to offer my sincere condolences to Gemma’s family and friends on their tragic
loss. The death of Gemma has reaffirmed my department’s continued commitment
to protect young people from the wide-ranging harms associated with drug use. We
welcome the views of the Coroner and the opportunity it presents to reflect upon
those areas identified as continued concerns, to prevent others from losing their lives
under similar circumstances.

The matters of concern identified in the report, which relate to education, were that:

•

people, including young people, do not understand the dangers and risks
associated with ketamine use as it is a class B drug, considered less harmful
than class A drugs.

• The health consequences of ketamine use are not well understood by many

teachers and others not working in drug treatment and healthcare.

Schools have an important role in educating puphs about the dangers of harmful
substances and relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) has been statutory
in schools since September 2020. My department recently published updated RSHE
statutory guidance which includes curriculum content on drugs, alcohol, tobacco and
vaping.

Statutory health education sets out the content on drugs that should be taught.
Pupils in primary school should know the facts about legal and illegal harmful
substances and associated risks, including smoking, vaping, alcohol use and drug-
taking.

Sanctuary Buildings 20 Great Smith Street London SW1P 3BT
tel: 0370 000 2288 www.education.gov.uk)contactus/dfe

 By the end of secondary school, pupils should know the facts about which drugs are
illegal and the risks of taking illegal drugs, including the increased risk of potent
synthetic drugs being added to illegal drugs. They should understand the risks of
illicit vapes containing drugs, illicit drugs and counterfeit medicines, and the potential
health harms, including the link to poor mental health. They also learn about the law
relating to the supply and possession of illegal substances.

As well as learning about illegal drugs, the curriculum contains content an the
dangers of misuse of prescribed and over-the-counter medicines and the risks of
illegal activity online, the sale or purchasing of illicit drugs online.

The statutory guidance provides high-level content to guide schools’ teaching, but
schools have the freedom and flexibility to ensure the curriculum meets the needs of
their pupils. This flexibility allows schools to respond to local public health and wider
community issues, and tailor the content to meet pupils’ needs so they can respond
to issues as they arise, including the dangers of taking ketamine.

In addition to the specific content on drug education, the revised RSHE statutory
guidance contains new content on personal safety. This includes how to develop key
social and emotional skills that will increase pupils’ safety. These include skills to
support self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and
responsible decision making, as well as skills to recognise and manage peer
pressure.

The department worked with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
(OHID) and the PSHE Association to make sure good quality teaching resources are
available for teachers delivering drug, alcohol and tobacco education. The lesson
plans target primary and secondary students, teaching them how to manage
influences and pressure, and keep themselves healthy and safe. And separately, we
know many local areas will develop their own resources, including teaching about
the dangers of ketamine.

Furthermore, the Oak National Academy, the independent provider of freely
available online curriculum and lesson resources, have RSHE resources on their
website addressing addiction and are developing new resources to support schools
with the delivery of the updated RSHE curriculum. These should be available from
autumn 2025.

The drug-related content in RSHE supplements drug education as a statutory
subject in the national curriculum for science. At Key Stage 2 pupils are taught to
recognise the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies
function.
In the secondary science curriculum, drug education is covered in Key
Stage 3 biology. The curriculum states pupils should be taught about the effects of
recreational drugs (including substance misuse) on behaviour, health and life
processes.

More broadly, the Government continues to work to educate young people on the
harms and risks around drug taking via the FRANK website, referenced in the RSHE
statutory guidance, which provides drug information and advice to young people,
parents and practitioners. This site keeps content up to date with emerging evidence
and trends, including on Ketamine. Ketamine I Effects of Ketamine I FRANK.

 To help support the sector following the publication of the revised RSHE guidance,
we are piloting a teacher training grant, starting early 2026. We want to build a
workforce that is equipped and empowered to take on the challenges facing young
people today.

Thank you for writing to me.

I hope that this response is useful.

Kind regards,

Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women & Equalities

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for  
Public Health and Prevention  

39 Victoria Street London  
SW1H 0EU  

6th October 2025  

HM Coroner Brendan Joseph Allen  
Area Coroner for Dorset  
BCP Civic Centre 
Bourne Avenue 
Bournemouth  
BH2 6DY  

Dear Mr Allen,  

Thank you for the Regulation 28 report of 19th August 2025 sent to the Secretary of State for the 
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) about the death of Gemma May Weeks. I am replying 
as the Minister with responsibility for Public Health and Prevention.  

Firstly, I wish to say how saddened I was to read of the circumstances of Gemma’s death, and I offer 
my sincere condolences to her family and loved ones. The circumstances your report describes are 
concerning and I am grateful to you for bringing these matters to my attention.   

I  know  that  you  sent  your  report to  the  Home  Secretary  and  Department  for  Education  (DfE) too. 
Home Office Ministers will be replying in relation to your concern about the classification of ketamine 
under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. My response will focus on concerns your report raised over the 
dangers and harms of ketamine use and that these dangers are little understood by both the firsttime 
users and younger age groups.   

I want to assure you DHSC is taking seriously the risk that ketamine, its increased prevalence, and 
its  associated  harms  has  on  our  young  people.  We  are  working  closely  with  partners  across 
Government to respond to existing and new drug threats, including  from ketamine, and to reduce 
and prevent the health harms they cause. We know that drug treatment is protective and the number 
of places in treatment for people who use drugs other than opiates is being increased by 30,000.  
We are committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug problem can access the help and support 
they need, and we recognise the need for evidence-based, high-quality treatment.   

The  Department  is  working  to  increase  awareness  of  the  risks  and  associated  health  harms  of 
sustained ketamine use. We are planning a national campaign to raise awareness on new patterns 
of  drug  use  and  their  associated  risk,  with  particular  focus  on  sustained  ketamine  use  and  the 
damage it can cause to the bladder. The campaign, planned to launch in coming months, will utilise 
mass and social media, including a short film and social media influencers discussing the topic. The 
campaign will also disseminate information for a variety of stakeholders who come into contact with 
people  at  risk,  such  as  teachers  and  local  public  health  teams.  This  campaign  complements  the 
Government’s existing drug information and advice service called Talk to FRANK. This service aims 
to reduce  drug misuse  and  its  harms  by  increasing  awareness,  particularly  for  young people and 
parents. Talk  to  FRANK  offers  easy  to  read  information  on  the  risks  of  using  ketamine,  including 
bladder problems, and the risks of mixing it with other substances, as well as basic harm reduction 
advice.   

 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
  
  
 In addition  to  this,  the  Department recently  cascaded  a briefing to local  authorities and treatment 
systems  which  included  data  on  ketamine  use  and  guidance  on  prevention,  harm  reduction,  and 
treatment interventions. The briefing also included advice on how to develop system-wide healthcare 
responses,  focusing  on  pathways  to  and  from  mental  health  and  urology  services  to  respond  to 
ketamine related bladder damage.   

Furthermore, DHSC and Home Office ministers wrote to festival organisers this summer, asking them 
to work closely with police and health partners on their harm reduction and first aid measures, which 
included highlighting the dangers of ketamine. The Department also worked with the National Police 
Chiefs’ Council on a joint letter and advice for the police and local authorities about festivals, drugs, 
and alcohol, to minimise the risk of harm to individuals at these events.   

Alongside ensuring increased awareness of the harms of ketamine, local authorities are responsible 
for providing drug treatment services, including services to support ketamine users, based on the 
needs of their local populations. In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26 the Department is 
providing a total of £310 million in additional targeted grants to improve drug and alcohol services 
and wider recovery support, including housing and employment. Furthermore, for the first time, local 
authorities have been set targets to support people using drugs other than heroin and crack cocaine, 
and they are now helping more people than ever who are struggling with ketamine use.   

Amongst  those  children  and  young  people  under  the  age  of  18  years  old  who  are  seeking  drug 
treatment, the proportion who are citing ketamine use has increased from under 1% in 2015/16 to 
9% in November 2024. As a result, and in response to increased prevalence, the treatment system 
is responding to the harms being caused by ketamine use.  

Alongside the work DHSC is conducting, widespread action is already in progress through local and 
regional initiatives. Local authorities, Combating Drugs Partnerships, and treatment providers lead 
on prevention, harm reduction, and treatment interventions, which includes awareness raising. Many 
of 
local  areas,  have  developed  bespoke 
awarenessraising  resources  and  approaches  in  response  to  ketamine,  and  a  number  have  held 
events for professionals working in the field.   

treatment  providers,  as  well  as 

the  national 

Finally, further guidance on ketamine from drug treatment providers and others is also available. The 
British  Association  of  Urological  Surgeons  has  provided  guidance  in  the  form  of  consensus 
statements  on  the  management  of  ketamine  uropathy.  This  is  available  at:  British Association  of 
Urological Surgeons Consensus statements on the management of ketamine uropathy.   

I hope this response is helpful. Thank you for bringing these concerns to my attention.    

Yours sincerely,   

PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND  
PREVENTION

Minister of State for Policing and 
Crime Prevention 
2 Marsham Street 
London SW1P 4DF 
www.gov.uk/home 

Mr Brendan J Allen 
Area Coroner 
The Coroner's Office for the County of Dorset 
Civic Centre 
Bourne Avenue 
Bournemouth 
BH2 6DY 

          10 October 2025 

Dear Coroner Allen, 

Thank you for your Regulation 28 (Prevention of Future Deaths) report of 19 August 
2025, which you sent to the Home Secretary, about the death of Ms Gemma Weeks, 
which was linked to her use of ketamine.  You suggest that further action should be 
taken to prevent future deaths from ketamine.  I am replying as the Minister of State 
for Policing and Crime. 

I was very sorry to read of the death of Ms Weeks and I send my deepest sympathy 
to her family and friends.  I have met with families who tragically lost loved ones to 
ketamine, and I recognised much of what you recorded about the circumstances of 
Ms Weeks’ death in what I heard from them. 

I know that you sent your report to the Secretaries of State for Education and Health 
and Social Care too.  Ministers in those departments will be replying to your 
concerns about a lack of understanding of the dangers of ketamine, including among 
young people.  I will therefore focus on your concern that ketamine’s classification as 
a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (‘MDA’) may give the impression 
that the dangers associated with its use are lower than those of Class A drugs. 

As a Class B drug, the maximum penalty for supply and production for ketamine is 
up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both, and the maximum penalty for 
possession is up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.  These penalties 
are intended to reduce both the supply of, and the demand for, ketamine, and they 
contribute, along with other measures, to reducing the harms which result from its 
use.  In 2024 there were 2,014 prosecutions and 1,507 convictions for offences 
relating to the possession and trafficking of ketamine, representing increases of 
56% and 43% respectively on the figures for 2023.   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ketamine was moved from Class C to Class B of the MDA in 2014, in accordance 
with advice provided by the statutory Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs 
(ACMD).  The ACMD’s recommendation was based on evidence of ketamine’s 
potential for harm at that time.  The ACMD stated that “although there is limited 
evidence of ketamine misuse causing social harm, evidence of physical harm 
(mainly chronic bladder toxicity but also an increase in acute toxicity) has 
increased”.   

This report is available at the following link: 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7ce1bbed915d7c849adce3/ACMD
_ketamine_report_dec13.pdf. 

Ministers have become concerned that the misuse of ketamine, particularly among 
young people, has grown since that report was published.  Ketamine use in young 
people aged 16-24 years in England and Wales has increased by 231% since the 
year ending March 2013.  In 2023/24, there were 3,609 new presentations to adult 
treatment services citing ketamine as a misused substance - the highest number 
since published records began in 2005/06.  I share your concern that users may be 
underestimating the harms of ketamine, including its degree of addictiveness and 
the possibility of irreversible bladder damage. 

Therefore, in January 2025 my predecessor as the Minister responsible for drugs 
wrote to the ACMD to ask them to provide an updated harms assessment of 
ketamine, and advice on reducing harms, in response to emerging evidence.  She 
asked them in particular to advise on whether it should be moved to Class A.  Her 
letter can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-
harms-assessment-of-ketamine-commissioning-letter/updated-harms-assessment-
of-ketamine-commissioning-letter   

The ACMD has been working on that assessment, including conducting a public call 
for evidence in August.  I expect to receive the report by the end of 2025, and I will 
give full consideration to all its recommendations before making any decisions 
relating to the classification of ketamine under the MDA. 

While the ACMD report will be very important, the Government is, as I have noted, 
very concerned about the increasing harms of ketamine and is already taking a 
range of measures to tackle them.  As the Department of Health and Social Care 
sets out in its response, we will shortly be launching a national media campaign on 
emerging drug threats, one of whose key areas of focus will be the harms caused 
by ketamine.  The campaign will use a range of media to ensure that the messages 
reach as many people as possible.  This sits alongside a range of existing 
measures, including our work with festival organisers to ensure that the risks to 
those attending festivals are minimised, improving the drug treatment response, and 
awareness raising initiatives led by local authority public health teams. 

Thank you once again for your letter. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Very best wishes, 

Minister of State for Policing and Crime