Bristol Uni revealed to have the second highest ket consumption among Russell Group unis

Bristol University has the second highest ketamine consumption among Russell Group university students, as found by an anonymous study carried out by The Tab.

This might not come as a shock to those familiar with the city’s reputation as a vibrant ‘party’ uni, with Bristol being home to a world-renowned DnB music scene.

The study examined almost 6000 students’ data in relation to ketamine use across UK universities and found that at least 19 per cent of students have tried the drug at least once, and 22 per cent use it regularly.

The survey was analysed by Constance Vielma, who designated each Russell Group a ‘ket score’. This took into account how much ketamine students said they used, how often they used it, and how many students there are at that uni.

Bristol landed second in the list with a ket score of 1.87, coming behind only Manchester Uni, with a reputation for its bustling student nightlife, receiving a score of 2.13.

We asked Bristol students whether they think Bristol had a ket problem, and the almost unanimous response was “yes”.

Warwick ranked last in the list with a score of 0.48, and York and Cambridge received the next lowest scores of 0.52 and 0.55 respectively.

Sociologist Dr Karenza Moore explained, in a Timeout article last year, that “Ketamine has always been part of rave and club culture,” adding that “although it’s more visible now, it’s not a new thing”.

What has changed, however, is its use in clubs, where it “used to be more of an after-party drug”. Moore explained how the “ket seems more acceptable in the scene, post-pandemic”.

Most Read

Here’s why the house in Netflix’s No Good Deed looks so incredibly familiar

Lily Phillips shares four gross mistakes she made while sleeping with 100 men in one day

Current record holder for sleeping with most men in a day issues stark warning to Lily Phillips

The popularity of the drug in Bristol raises questions about how ket became such a popular drug. This may be because of the affordability of the drug compared to cocaine and MDMA, as well as its reputation for not giving you a terrible hangover or comedown the next day.

If any Bristol students are worried about drinking or drug use, you can access support here.