Ketamine

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine is an anaesthetic used in liquid form by both doctors and vets. It is therefore available legally in its injectable form, but it is also produced illegally as tablets that can be swallowed, and as powder that can be snorted. This ‘street Ketamine’ is known as Special K, Vitamin K or just K, and is taken for the hallucinatory, psychedelic experiences which it can induce.

Facts and figures

• It is illegal to supply ketamine in tablet or powder form.
• The long-term effects of using ketamine as a recreational drug are not yet known.
• Ketamine is sometimes used by would-be rapists to ‘spike’ their victims’ drinks.

What ketamine does

• Ketamine is a powerful painkiller that can lead to psychedelic experiences and make users unable to feel any sort of physical pain while under the influence (usually for around 3 hours). Users may also be unable to move during this time.
• This ‘separation’ of the mind and body creates ‘out of body’ hallucinatory experiences which can be pleasurable to the user but may also be terrifying.
• The impact of the drug depends to some extent upon the user’s mood and surroundings.

Dangers and health risks

• Being physically unable to feel pain or to move puts users at many risks, including that of sustaining serious injury.
• High doses may induce breathing problems and, in some cases, heart failure.
• If users inject ketamine then, as with all other intravenous drugs, they risk damaging their veins and, if they share needles, contracting serious infections such as hepatitis and HIV.
• Ketamine is extremely dangerous if taken in combination with alcohol or other drugs.