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<p>The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs decided by consensus to postpone the consideration
of the proposal to place Ketamine in Schedule IV of the 1971 Convention and to request
additional information from the World Health Organisation and other relevant sources.
The process for providing this information has yet to be defined, however the Government
understands that Member State action would be required for the Commission to re-consider
scheduling. The Government does not believe that controlling ketamine internationally
is appropriate. It could result in reduced access to a substance listed as an essential
medicine by the World Health Organisation and widely used as an anaesthetic in low
and middle income countries. We will submit evidence outlining our position when appropriate.In
the UK, the Government is determined to clamp down on the illegal misuse of ketamine,
which leaves young people hospitalised with serious bladder and kidney damage every
year, and is detected in a number of deaths every year. To prevent its misuse, we
have made ketamine a Class B drug and taken action to ensure its availability for
health and veterinary care in the UK is properly regulated.</p>
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