Ketamine

Ketamine is an anesthetic that has been approved for both human and animal use in medical settings since 1970; about 90 percent of the ketamine legally sold is intended for veterinary use. It can be injected or snorted. Ketamine is also known as "Special K" or "vitamin K".

Certain doses of ketamine can cause dream-like states and hallucinations, and it has become common in club and rave scenes and has been used as a date rape drug.

At high doses, ketamine can cause delirium, amnesia, impaired motor function, high blood pressure, depression, and potentially fatal respiratory problems.

Emergency room mentions of ketamine rose from 19 in 1994 to 396 in 1999.** Recent use has been reported more frequently among white youth in many cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Newark, New York City, Phoenix, San Diego, Texas, and Washington, DC.

Rohypnol GHB and Ketamine

GHB, Rohypnol, and ketamine are predominantly central nervous system depressants. Because they are often colorless, tasteless, and odorless, they can be added to beverages and ingested unknowingly.

These drugs emerged a few years ago as "date rape" drugs. Because of concern about their abuse, Congress passed the "Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act of 1996" in October 1996. This legislation increased Federal penalties for use of any controlled substance to aid in sexual assault.