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Glastonbury Festival 2014: Reveller dies in hospital after taking ketamine | Glastonbury Festival 2014: Reveller dies in hospital after taking ketamine |
(34 minutes later) | |
A man has died after taking ketamine at Glastonbury Festival. | A man has died after taking ketamine at Glastonbury Festival. |
The music fan was taken into hospital after taking the drug and police said he was in a critical condition on Thursday evening. | The music fan was taken into hospital after taking the drug and police said he was in a critical condition on Thursday evening. |
A spokesman said: "Unfortunately the man taken ill after a suspected reaction to ketamine has died this morning. His family are aware and being supported." | A spokesman said: "Unfortunately the man taken ill after a suspected reaction to ketamine has died this morning. His family are aware and being supported." |
The 26-year-old man, from Reading, has not been named. | |
Police have warned festival-goers not to take illegal drugs. An officer tweeted: “Please don't take drugs at Glasto. | Police have warned festival-goers not to take illegal drugs. An officer tweeted: “Please don't take drugs at Glasto. |
“Ketamine and alcohol dangerously affect your heart and breathing. It can be deadly and you don't know what or how strong it is.” | “Ketamine and alcohol dangerously affect your heart and breathing. It can be deadly and you don't know what or how strong it is.” |
Officers said they did not believe a bad batch of the drug was responsible and that the man had an "individual reaction". | |
The side-effects of ketamine can kill Ketamine is a class B drug that is legally used in medicine and by vets as a tranquiliser. | |
It is used recreationally for feelings of euphoria but can cause paralysis, panic attacks, memory loss, bladder problems and bad reactions can kill. | |
It was upgraded from class C in February in the face of mounting evidence over its physical and psychological dangers. | |
Ministers were told that users as young as 20 had to have their bladders removed due to heavy consumption. | |
Figures from the Home Office estimate that 120,000 people between 16 and 59 in England and Wales took ketamine last year. | |
Anyone convicted of possessing the drug can be jailed for up to five years, while the maximum penalty for trafficking offences is 14 years in prison. | |
The man died as the first day official day of music got underway at Worthy Farm, in Somerset. | The man died as the first day official day of music got underway at Worthy Farm, in Somerset. |
Police had arrested 30 people by Friday morning and 85 crimes were reported in the first 48 hours - 30 per cent down on last year. | |
A 67-year-old woman died in her tent overnight on Wednesday but police are not investigating the death, which was believed to be of natural causes. |