Drugs & Alcohol Information

Ketamine

Street Names

Special K, K Green, Super K

Description

Ketamine can come as a pill, White Powder, or liquid.

Routes of Use

The powder is usually sniffed up the nose, sometimes smoked. The liquid is its pharmaceutical state for injecting.

History

Ketamine is used medically as an anaesthetic for operating on animals and humans.

It found its way into the club and rave scene in 1992, where people took it thinking they were buying ecstasy.

Effects People Seek

Ketamine has pain killing effects and also alter perception. Dependency on the dose, effects range from euphoria and rushes, hallucinations, out of body or detached experience, through to numbness in limbs and strange muscle movements.

Other Effects

Vomiting may occur which is dangerous if user is unconscious or disoriented and could choke. Accidents from lack of co-ordination are also common can become particularly dangerous if used with alcohol, barbs, heroin, tranquilisers.

Dependence & Tolerance

Information on long term use is sparse but reports suggest flashback, memory, attention and vision impairment may result from frequent and prolonged use. Tolerance develops quickly. Weight loss and loss of appetite during periods of heavy use, psychological dependence, psychosis and gradual loss of contact with the real world can also occur.

The Law

As of January 1st 2006 Ketamine is a class C Drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.