A Heartbreaking Plea for Change

In a chilling testament to a mother's agony, Tracy Marelli shares the despairing words of her daughter, Sophie Russell: "I feel like I'm going to die, but I don't want to." These haunting phrases resonate deeply with Tracy, who lost Sophie to a devastating ketamine addiction in September 2024.

From Loving Daughter to Victim of Addiction

Sophie had been trapped in the grip of ketamine addiction for two long years when her life was tragically cut short at just 20 years old. Tracy, hailing from Lincoln, is on a passionate mission to have ketamine reclassified as a Class A drug, and she has taken this fight to the government in hopes of sparking change.

"I had a beautiful daughter," Tracy reflects, surrounded by cherished mementos of Sophie in her living room—framed photographs showcasing smiley holiday memories, and even her ashes, a constant reminder of what was lost.

A Chain of Tragedies

Sophie’s descent into addiction began after her grandmother passed away. Tragically, two years later, she was found dead at her father’s house due to cardiac arrest, a victim of the health complications brought on by her drug use.

In the months leading up to her death, Sophie exhibited alarming signs, including unexplained bruising, slurred speech, and significant weight loss—from a healthy size 14 to a frail size six.

The Physical Toll of Ketamine

The transformation was shocking; Tracy remembers her daughter looking frail and pained, resembling an elderly woman rather than a vibrant young adult. "She wanted to stop. She couldn't stop," said Tracy, her heart breaking. "She begged me."

A Campaign for Awareness and Change

In the wake of Sophie’s death, Tracy has turned her grief into action, becoming a vocal advocate for reclassifying ketamine and amplifying awareness of its dangers. Although the NHS recognizes ketamine as a common anaesthetic used primarily by veterinarians, it currently sits in the government’s Class B category—alongside substances like cannabis, codeine, and amphetamines.

Recently, Tracy met with Sarah Jones MP, the minister for policing and crime, to press for legislative change and enhanced educational measures regarding ketamine's dangers.

A Dangerous Trend

"I believe Sophie wouldn't have taken this drug if she knew it would destroy her body," Tracy asserts, voicing her concerns about the drug's alarming prevalence. "It was everywhere. She said that everyone around her was using it."