Old Drug, New High

It can be inhaled, poured in a drink, or taken straight, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Ketamine has never been more popular than it’s current status.

It’s another old drug that kids have found a new use for. Ketamine is an animal anesthetic that is prompting kids to break into vet clinics to get their dose.

“Oh, I think that time it was about 10 bottles of Ketamine,” said Dr. Cecil Johnson about his most recent break in.

Dr. Johnson knows the sedative as Ketamine, but on the street it’s called “Special K”, “Vitamin K,” and “Kit Kat”.

“I felt like I was asleep and couldn’t move...you’re in a hole, you really can’t function at all when you’re on it,” Shari, 18 talked about her experience with Ketamine.

The “party drug” doubles as a date rape drug. Date rapists slip the drug into their victims drinks. The sedation takes effect, and the rapist has a handicapped victim.

Ketamine is produced for animals, not humans. It was formerly used for human surgery, but it was replaced by safer drugs. The long term effects are not known; however, doctors warn that taking Ketamine is taking an unmeasured risk.

What Parents Should Know

A child takes Special K. A parent takes the child in for a standard drug test just hours later. The test results?—Negative.

Due to the cost of testing, Ketamine isn’t part of the standard drug test package. Parents can request that the drug testing center include the Ketamine test in the screening, but they should be prepared to spend an additional $90. A typical drug test ranges from $30 to $40 dollars.

Pinning down “K” as the culprit can be difficult for parents. A parent suspecting drug abuse can further look for impaired coordination and judgement. Although the high from Ketamine only lasts about an hour, sensory and motor skills can be affected for up to two days after use.

Special K can be identified as either a white cocaine-like powder or a clear liquid. The powder is commonly packaged in small plastic bags, foil, paper bags, folded paper and capsules. The liquid is sold in a vial.

With a $100 to $200 street value, drug abuse counselors said that Ketamine isn’t a “first-timer‘s” drug. Abusers take a trip to “K-land” in search for something new.

Bad Bet for the Vet

Veteranarian clinic break-ins are on the rise. An animal anesthetic has drug dealers picking the locks and breaking the windows of vet clinics.

Ketamine, the medical term for the drug, is used by veterinarians as an animal tranquilizer, but it is being used on the streets as a “party drug”. It has been used by surgeons, but safer anesthetics have taken its place in the human operating room.

Authorities claim that Special K, taking a similar path to PCP in the past, is slipping out the door of vets in the pockets of thieves and drug dealers. There is no known illegal manufacturing at this time.