A bereaved mother in Lincoln, Tracy Marelli, is campaigning for an upgrade in the legal status of the drug ketamine from Class B to Class A, following the heartrending death of her daughter, Sophie Russell, who lost a two-year battle against addiction.
Sophie started using ketamine aged 18, in the aftermath of her grandmother’s passing away. Her life ended tragically in September 2024 at her father’s residence, succumbing to cardiac arrest. The severe impact of ketamine use was evident through the warning signs exemplified by Sophie, including an unusual amount of bruising, speech impediments, intense weight reduction – her condition deteriorated to the point where Sophie was barely recognisable as her previous self.
Although Sophie sought help, her attempts to get into a rehabilitation programme were hampered as she was deemed not ready to commit to helping herself. Tracy has, since her daughter’s untimely death, dedicated her efforts to campaigning for an upgrade in ketamine’s drug classification. Currently categorised as Class B, she believes that a stricter classification and increased awareness could serve to prevent such tragedies.
Tracy has already taken active steps to lobby for changes. She met Sarah Jones MP, the minister for policing and crime, to press for this reclassification and to advance the necessity for better education regarding the hazards associated with substance misuse. The government’s response has been encouraging – the Home Office has recognised Tracy’s legitimate concerns and is seeking expert advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the viability of a classification review.
Through publicising her daughter’s tragic experience, Tracy hopes to raise awareness among individuals about the catastrophic consequences of ketamine addiction. She believes the drug is too easy to acquire and is alarmingly widespread amongst the youth of the region. “I want to save other people’s lives, particularly the lives of young people,” she states, indicating the compelling motivation behind her actions.
This narrative has been revised and reproduced by The Lincoln Post, based on the original reporting by www.bbc.com.
