Ketamine is a powerful drug that often sparks both intrigue and concern. Known for its medical uses and recreational abuse, it sits at the crossroads of medicine, science, and controlled substance debates. Let’s break this down to understand what ketamine is, where it comes from, and its profound impact on both the mind and body.

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine is classified as a dissociative anaesthetic, which means it can disconnect users from their physical environment and perception of pain. Originally developed for medical purposes, it facilitates sedation, immobility, pain relief, and memory loss during medical procedures. However, ketamine’s hallucinogenic effects have also made it a recreational drug and, unfortunately, a tool in crimes like facilitated sexual assault.

Approved for human and veterinary medicine, it’s also legally available as esketamine (branded as Spravato®)—a nasal spray used to treat treatment-resistant depression.

Effects on the Mind

Ketamine alters sensory perception, which can lead to hallucinations and a distorted sense of reality. Its recreational use is often associated with experiences like:

• K-land – Described as a relaxed and colourful experience.
• K-hole – A deeply dissociative, out-of-body sensation akin to a near-death experience.
• Baby food – Users report feeling an overwhelming sense of blissful inertia.
• God episode – Some users feel convinced they’ve encountered a higher power.

However, the recreational dosage can result in side effects such as agitation, cognitive difficulties, and depression. For some, prolonged exposure may even trigger “Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder,” causing weeks of visual disturbances after ingestion.

Effects on the Body

Just minutes after consumption, ketamine can increase heart rate and blood pressure. Prolonged effects may include:

• Rapid, involuntary eye movement
• Dilated pupils
• Stiffened muscles
• Nausea and salivation

While ketamine offers short-term dissociative relief, higher doses can lead to overdose symptoms, such as unconsciousness and life-threatening difficulties in breathing.

What is the Origin of Ketamine?

Ketamine has been commercially developed and manufactured in countries like the United States. It has legitimate medical applications, but much of the it found illegally on the streets is either smuggled, stolen from veterinary clinics, or diverted from legitimate pharmaceutical supplies.

Unlike other controlled substances like cocaine or MDMA, ketamine is rarely sold through street dealers. Instead, it’s commonly distributed among groups at nightclubs, festivals, and private parties.

How is Ketamine Used?

Ketamine comes in two primary forms:

• Liquid form – Often injected or mixed into beverages.
• Powdered form – Typically snorted, smoked with substances like tobacco or marijuana, or packed into capsules.

Popular in club settings, ketamine (often referred to as a “club drug”) is also found in combination with other substances like MDMA or cocaine, amplifying its effects.

Street Names for Ketamine

Street names for ketamine vary, but here are some common examples:

• Special K
• Kit Kat
• Vitamin K
• Super Acid
• Jet K
• Purple

These names reflect how regularly it is used recreationally, often glamorised within specific subcultures.

What Does it Look Like?

The appearance depends on its form:

• Liquid Ketamine – A clear solution packaged in small vials.
• Powder Ketamine – A fine white or slightly off-white powder, usually packed into bags, paper wraps, or capsules.

Its powder form is often split into lines (called “bumps”) for snorting or mixed with other drugs.

Legal Status in the United States

Ketamine became regulated as a Schedule III controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act in 1999. This classification is reserved for drugs with accepted medical uses but with a potential for abuse, which could lead to physical or psychological dependence.

While it is approved for short-term anaesthesia and pain relief, its use in treating depression is a recent development. Since 2019, esketamine nasal spray (Spravato®) has been available for patients with treatment-resistant depression under a strict prescription in certified health clinics.

How Does Ketamine Compare to Similar Drugs?

While ketamine is unique in its dissociative properties, other drugs offer similar effects:

• LSD and Mescaline – Known for their hallucinogenic properties but without the dissociative anaesthetic effects.
• PCP – Once used medically but now a dangerous dissociative drug with severe side effects.
• GHB and Rohypnol® – Often associated with sedation and amnesia, albeit misused in crimes.

Although ketamine has parallels to these drugs, its medical legitimacy distinguishes it.

Ketamine’s dual identity as a powerful medical tool and a frequently abused drug makes it both fascinating and controversial. While its potential to revolutionise depression treatment presents hope, its misuse highlights the need for ongoing education and careful regulation.

Understanding ketamine—from its effects on the brain to its classification as a controlled substance—equips us to engage with it responsibly, whether in clinical or broader social contexts.

Source: Campus Drug Prevention