Jeni Larmour’s mum calls for reclassification of Ketamine to class A following her death

A Newcastle student’s mother has been campaigning for ketamine to be reclassified as a class A drug, after her daughters death in 2020.

Jeni Larmour died after taking ketamine on her first night at Newcastle University back in September 2020.

Sandra Larmour, Jeni’s mum, is now calling for the reclassification of the drug, claiming that it should be “urgently approved”, BBC reports.

Currently, the government is seeking advice on whether to group the drug in line with other narcotics such as cocaine, heroin and MDMA. Sandra is one of many campaigners working to raise more awareness of ketamine use since her daughter’s accidental overdose over four years ago.

Jeni and her mum Sandra, provided by her mother

Jeni Larmour, 18, from Newtonhamilton, County Armagh died on October 3rd 2020, after consuming both alcohol and ketamine. She was confirmed dead at her accommodation Park View at 5:59m on the Saturday morning, just the day after she moved in. It was later found that she did not purchase the drugs which contributed to her death.

Friends described Jeni as having a “huge, unmistakable laugh”, as a deputy head girl at her school, a member of the both choir and the cadet force. She was due to begin studying architecture and urban planning at Newcastle University.

Her death left a revered impact on the community at Newcastle University and the conversation about drug use at universities.

A selfie of Jeni, provided by her mother

Sandra is currently raising awareness around drug use, working with the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation where she teaches schoolchildren about the dangers. She hopes “change” will come from the latest review.

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She said: “I have previously stated in my requests for reclassification, please do not let Jeni’s death fall into the statistics of our country”.

Sandra’s campaign against ketamine calls for awareness to the dangers of ketamine, stating “The dangers of ketamine are real, and those involved in the supply should be dealt with accordingly”.

In 2014, the drug was reclassified from class C to class B and carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison for producing and supplying ketamine. If upgraded to a class A, the offence could result in a life sentence. The Home Office stated illegal use of ketamine has reached record levels in recent years, estimating 269,000 people aged 15 to 59 have reported ketamine use in the year ending March 2024.

10 arrests were made the weekend of Jeni Larmour’s death, following four suspected drug-related deaths, three of which were students. According to The Chronicle, officers confirmed that drugs including ketamine and MDMA were suspected to have been involved in the deaths.

Dangers involved in the use of ketamine include health issues such as damage to the bladder and kidneys.

Professor Gill from Northumbria University commented on the effects to the body, and said: “It has a long term impact on the bladder and urinary tract but we still don’t know an awful lot about the longer term consequences on the body”.

At the time of Jeni’s death, both Newcastle University and Northumbria Police issued statements warning students of the “potentially lethal” strength of drugs, and also reminding students selling and consuming drugs is an illegal act. A warning was sent out in an email sent out by Newcastle vice-chancellor Chris Day, which read: “If you drink, then make sure you do so sensibly and that you look after each other”.

Northumbria police further commented: “We would urge anybody thinking about taking drugs to please not take the risk. The consequences could cost you your life”.

WithYou is a charity that offers free, confidential support to people in England and Scotland who have struggled with drugs, alcohol or mental health. They provide free support through a webchat service for anyone who is worried about their drug use, or for a loved one.