A recent report from the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) warned of an increase in ketamine-related overdoses involving emergency medical services (EMS) between January 2023 and June 2026. Over this period, there were at least 10,783 EMS encounters for nonfatal ketamine overdoses nationwide. 

Notably, many of these EMS encounters were concentrated in western states. The rate of EMS encounters per 10,000 people for ketamine overdoses was highest in Pitkin County, Colorado (6.71), Denver County, Colorado (5.55), Summit County, Colorado (4.57), Eagle County, Colorado (2.91), Jefferson County, Colorado (2.91), San Francisco County, California (2.63), and Summit County, Utah (2.59).

For comparison, the midwestern county with the highest rate was Hennepin, Minnesota (1.31); the southern county with the highest rate was Suwannee, Florida (2.45); and the northeastern county with the highest rate was Fulton, New York (1.89). 

Source: National Drug Early Warning System 

Of note, the national number of ketamine-related overdoses involving EMS is likely higher than 10,783, given that a few states, including Massachusetts and Louisiana, did not report information to the NDEWS. 

Citing the report, Jaime Ignacio Puerta Gonzalez, the president of Victims Of Illicit Drugs, said that “the data should be viewed as an early signal of changing drug trends rather than a measure of deaths,” adding that “drug traffickers are constantly adapting, experimenting, and introducing new substances into the illicit market.” 

The NDEWS, which is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, also tracks comments about drugs on social media in an effort to detect emerging trends. In July, it reported that ketamine is widely discussed on Reddit, with discussions focusing on “growing interest in ketamine’s perceived mental health benefits, its use in combination with other psychoactive substances, concerns regarding long term health effects, increased tolerance and availability.” 

In 2025, 6.1 million Americans aged 12 or older were lifetime users of ketamine, up from 4.5 million in 2021, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The survey also estimated that 1.3 million Americans were past-year users of ketamine in 2025.  

The risks associated with ketamine extend beyond overdose. The National Institute on Drug Abuse warned that the long-term harms of ketamine use include memory problems, depression, anxiety, abdominal pain, and uropathy. Users may also develop a ketamine use disorder. 

As more Americans use ketamine, more will be harmed by it, as evidenced by the rise in ketamine-related overdoses involving EMS. Policymakers should focus on preventing the non-medical use of ketamine and helping those who misuse it in quitting. 

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