Ketamine is a medication used by doctors and veterinarians to control pain.

THE latest government figures , external estimate that use of the drug in England and Wales has more than doubled since 2016.

Among those under 25, its use more than tripled during the same period, the government said.

Chronic use of ketamine affects the bladder lining and can shrink it.

Kelly Smith was speaking at the opening of the We Got HeART (WGH) exhibition at a unit on St Chad’s Parade in the city centre.

The arts project, which aims to divert people away from substance use and towards support services, is run by Merseyside Police and CGL Knowsley, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

One of the artists on display is Amanda Murphy, who said she began using alcohol as a “crutch” after a difficult period in her life.

She was referred to CGL after developing liver disease and is now recovering.

“I was nervous when I first walked in, but they quickly surrounded me and showed me their love, so to speak,” she said.

Inspector Alan McKeon, of Merseyside Police’s Prevention Centre, said the project “truly shows the value of prevention and addressing the root causes of problems, not their symptoms”.