Drug Fact Sheet: Ketamine

What Is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects. It distorts perceptions of sight and sound and can make the user feel disconnected and not in control.

It is a short-acting anesthetic used in both humans and animals. Ketamine is referred to as a dissociative anesthetic because it causes patients to feel detached from their pain and the surrounding environment.

Ketamine can induce:

• Sedation (a calm and relaxed state)
• Immobility
• Pain relief
• Amnesia (loss of memory during drug use)
  

It is often abused for its ability to produce dissociative sensations and hallucinations. Ketamine has also been used to facilitate sexual assault.

What Is Its Origin?

Ketamine is produced commercially in several countries, including the United States. Most ketamine that is illegally distributed in the U.S. is:

• Diverted or stolen from legitimate sources (especially veterinary clinics)
• Smuggled into the United States from Mexico
  

Distribution usually occurs among friends and acquaintances, commonly at:

• Raves
• Nightclubs
• Private parties
  

Street-level sales of ketamine are rare.

How Is Ketamine Abused?

Ketamine is popular among teens and young adults, particularly in club and rave environments.

It is commercially manufactured as a liquid or powder. Powdered ketamine is often made by evaporating the liquid form using heat sources such as hot plates, warming trays, or microwave ovens. This process forms crystals that are then ground into powder.

Common Street Names

Ketamine is known by many street names, including:

• Cat Tranquilizer
• Cat Valium
• Jet K
• Kit Kat
• Purple
• Special K
• Special La Coke
• Super Acid
• Super K
• Vitamin K
  

What Does It Look Like?

Ketamine appears as:

• A clear liquid, or
• A white to off-white powder
  

Powdered ketamine (usually 100–200 milligrams) is packaged in:

• Small glass vials
• Small plastic bags
• Capsules
• Paper, glassine, or aluminum foil folds
  

Methods of Use

• Powdered ketamine is often divided into lines (“bumps”) and snorted
• It may also be smoked, typically mixed with marijuana or tobacco
• Liquid ketamine may be injected or mixed into drinks
  

Ketamine is sometimes used alone or combined with other drugs such as:

• MDMA
• Amphetamines
• Methamphetamine
• Cocaine
  

Effects on the Mind

Ketamine produces hallucinations and alters the perception of sight and sound. Users often feel disconnected and out of control.

A “Special K” trip is often described as more desirable than LSD or PCP because its effects are shorter, typically lasting 30 to 60 minutes, rather than several hours.

Common Slang for Ketamine Experiences

• K-land – a mellow, colorful experience
• K-hole – an out-of-body or near-death experience
• Baby food – a blissful, infant-like state of inertia
• God – the belief that the user has met their creator
  

Effects usually begin within minutes, though oral use results in a slower onset.

Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) has been reported weeks after use and may include recurring negative effects.

Other mental effects include:

• Agitation
• Depression
• Cognitive difficulties
• Unconsciousness
• Amnesia
  

Effects on the Body

Within minutes of use, ketamine may cause:

• Increased heart rate
• Increased blood pressure (which gradually decreases after 10–20 minutes)
  

Users may become unresponsive to stimuli and experience:

• Rapid, involuntary eye movement
• Dilated pupils
• Excessive salivation and tear production
• Muscle stiffening
  

Nausea may also occur.

Overdose Effects

A ketamine overdose can cause:

• Unconsciousness
• Dangerously slowed breathing
  

Drugs With Similar Effects

Other substances that can cause similar effects include:

• LSD
• PCP
• Mescaline
  

Drugs such as GHB, Rohypnol®, and other depressants are also misused for their sedative or amnesiac effects, particularly in cases of sexual assault.

Legal Status in the United States

Ketamine has been legally used in the U.S. since the 1970s as an injectable anesthetic for humans and animals.

In 1999, ketamine and its variants were classified as a Schedule III non-narcotic substance under the Controlled Substances Act.

It has accepted medical uses for:

• Short-term sedation
• Anesthesia
  

In 2019, the FDA approved esketamine (Spravato®), a nasal spray version, for treatment-resistant depression. This medication is only available at certified medical facilities.

Ketamine has a recognized potential for abuse, which may lead to:

• Moderate or low physical dependence
• High psychological dependence