James Boland
PFD Report
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Ref: 2024-0599
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· Deadline: 31 Dec 2024
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Source: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
Coroner’s Concerns
The inquest heard evidence that previously Mr Boland had used cocaine a class A drug but, had switched to ketamine a class B drug on the basis that he perceived it to be less harmful. His perception that it was less harmful was based on the fact it is designated as a class B rather than Class A drug. The evidence before the inquest was that Ketamine is a deeply harmful substance when used outside the purposes for which it is licenced for prescribing by clinicians and that users such as Mr Boland are unable to give it up despite knowing how dangerous it is to their health. Maintaining its classification as a Class B drug was likely to encourage others to start to use it or continue to use it under the false impression it is “safer”. The evidence at the inquest was that Ketamine use causes huge long term life changing health problems. In Mr Boland’s case it had caused long term urological damage and liver damage. It was the damage to his urological system caused by Ketamine that led to his death. The inquest was told that there is a significant increase in the illicit use of Ketamine and that this has led to clinicians seeing a rise in potentially fatal health problems linked to its use. The extent of these risks rarely understood by users until the damage has been done to their health.
Responses
The Home Office plans to commission the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to conduct an updated harms assessment of ketamine as part of its forthcoming three-year work programme.
AI summary
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Dear Ms Mutch,
Thank you for your Regulation 28: Prevention of Future Deaths report of 5 November to the Home Secretary about the death of Mr James Patrick Boland, which was linked to chronic ketamine use. You suggest that further action should be taken to prevent future deaths from ketamine. I am replying as the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention.
Firstly, any death related to drugs is a tragedy, and I was very sorry to read about the circumstances of Mr Boland’s death.
The inquest found that Mr Boland had switched from using cocaine, which is controlled under Class A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (“the 1971 Act”), to ketamine, a Class B under the 1971 Act, because he thought that the classification of ketamine meant that it was less harmful. You are concerned that maintaining ketamine’s classification is likely to encourage others to start or continue to use the drug, under the false impression that it is safer than drugs controlled under Class A.
Ketamine is controlled as a Class B drug under the 1971 Act. The maximum penalty for supply and production is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both. The maximum penalty for possession is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both. These controls are intended to discourage the use of drugs and contribute, along with other measures, to restrict misuse.
Ministers are subject to a statutory duty to consider advice provided by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), an independent scientific advisory body, before making changes to drugs legislation. Ketamine was moved from Class C to Class B under the 1971 Act in 2014, in accordance with advice provided by the ACMD. Their recommendation was based on evidence of ketamine’s potential for harm at that time. The ACMD stated that “although there is limited evidence of ketamine misuse causing social harm, evidence of physical harm (mainly chronic bladder toxicity but also an increase in acute toxicity) has increased”. This report is available at the following link:
mine_report_dec13.pdf.
I recognise growing concern about the harms of ketamine. I intend to commission the ACMD to conduct an updated harms assessment of ketamine as part of the forthcoming three-year work programme commission cycle.
Thank you again for your letter and bringing this matter to my attention.
Thank you for your Regulation 28: Prevention of Future Deaths report of 5 November to the Home Secretary about the death of Mr James Patrick Boland, which was linked to chronic ketamine use. You suggest that further action should be taken to prevent future deaths from ketamine. I am replying as the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention.
Firstly, any death related to drugs is a tragedy, and I was very sorry to read about the circumstances of Mr Boland’s death.
The inquest found that Mr Boland had switched from using cocaine, which is controlled under Class A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (“the 1971 Act”), to ketamine, a Class B under the 1971 Act, because he thought that the classification of ketamine meant that it was less harmful. You are concerned that maintaining ketamine’s classification is likely to encourage others to start or continue to use the drug, under the false impression that it is safer than drugs controlled under Class A.
Ketamine is controlled as a Class B drug under the 1971 Act. The maximum penalty for supply and production is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both. The maximum penalty for possession is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both. These controls are intended to discourage the use of drugs and contribute, along with other measures, to restrict misuse.
Ministers are subject to a statutory duty to consider advice provided by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), an independent scientific advisory body, before making changes to drugs legislation. Ketamine was moved from Class C to Class B under the 1971 Act in 2014, in accordance with advice provided by the ACMD. Their recommendation was based on evidence of ketamine’s potential for harm at that time. The ACMD stated that “although there is limited evidence of ketamine misuse causing social harm, evidence of physical harm (mainly chronic bladder toxicity but also an increase in acute toxicity) has increased”. This report is available at the following link:
mine_report_dec13.pdf.
I recognise growing concern about the harms of ketamine. I intend to commission the ACMD to conduct an updated harms assessment of ketamine as part of the forthcoming three-year work programme commission cycle.
Thank you again for your letter and bringing this matter to my attention.
Report Sections
Investigation and Inquest
On 20th June 2024 I commenced an investigation into the death of James Patrick BOLAND .The investigation concluded on the 17th October 2024 and the conclusion was one of narrative: Died from the complications of pyelonephritis probably contributed to by the complications of chronic ketamine use. The medical cause of death was 1a) Sepsis 1b) Acute Pyelonephritis on a background of Chronic Ketamine use
Circumstances of the Death
On 19th June 2024 James Patrick Boland known as Jamie was a chronic user of ketamine. He had developed significant urological issues as a consequence from the ketamine use. He was found unresponsive at his home address . A post mortem examination was undertaken. He was found to have a non-fatal level of ketamine in his system, but to have died from sepsis caused by acute pyelonephritis, a complication of long term use of ketamine.
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Data sourced from Courts and Tribunals Judiciary under the Open Government Licence.