KETAMINE USE IN Dublin appears to be rising, according to new European research tracking drug use through wastewater.

A report from the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) found a 42% increase in ketamine detections at the Ringsend wastewater plant between 2024 and 2025, placing the capital among the higher-ranking cities in Europe for usage of the drug.

The findings are part of a wider study covering 115 cities, which pointed to a “strong increase” in ketamine use across Europe, alongside rising cocaine detections and a notable drop in MDMA (ecstasy).

In Dublin, cocaine remains the most commonly detected drug by a significant margin, with levels around ten times higher than ketamine, despite an 18% decrease year-on-year.

Cannabis detections also rose slightly, while MDMA levels fell back from near-consistency with ketamine in 2024 to around half that level in 2025.

Wastewater analysis, which involves testing sewage for drug byproducts, is increasingly used to give a near real-time snapshot of drug consumption.

The latest study analysed samples from a combined population of around 72 million people over a one-week period in early 2025.

Ketamine, originally developed as an anaesthetic, has become more popular as a recreational drug in recent years, particularly in nightlife settings.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has previously identified it as one of the most commonly used substances at festivals and clubs.

It’s typically sold as a grainy, off-white powder, though it can also appear in pill form. In medical settings, it’s used as a liquid.

In recreational use, the powder is most often snorted, but it can also be swallowed or mixed into drinks. More rarely, it is injected, a method which carries significantly higher risks.

At an Oireachtas hearing last month, Dr Eamon Keenan, national clinical lead for HSE addiction services, warned that many users may not fully understand the risks associated with the drug.

He said people who use substances recreationally “may not realise the harms”, pointing specifically to ketamine, which he said is now widely used by young people in certain settings.

“Many of them may not be aware of the bladder problems that are associated with ketamine,” he told the Joint Committee on Drug Use, adding that early interventions can help inform people about the risks.

Advocacy groups have also raised concerns about the trend.

In a submission to the same committee in February, the European Network of People who Use Drugs warned that increasing ketamine use, combined with a lack of harm reduction measures, could disproportionately affect younger people, particularly in terms of access to healthcare.

The group argued that broader policy changes, including decriminalisation and regulation of substances, should be considered as part of efforts to reduce drug-related harms.