Ketamine is one of the most popular club drugs in California. This illegal drug is also nicknamed ‘K’, vitamin K, Special K or cat valiums in the state. The drug is commercially sold under the name of Ketalar. This drug is an anesthetic which is usually injected within the body. It can be produced in any form like pills, liquid or powder. In the liquid form, the Ketamine drug can be injected into the body either intravenously or intramuscularly. For getting powder or liquid forms of the drug, the liquid Ketamine is evaporated. The powdered form of the Ketamine drug is very similar to methamphetamine or cocaine and so it is often mistaken for the other two. The drug is often smoked or snorted with tobacco products or other drugs like marijuana.

Ketamine rose to huge popularity amongst the drug abusers of California State in the 1980s. The abusers had discovered that when this drug was taken in excess amounts, it was capable of causing reactions which could be compared to the experiences which PCP gives when consumed. When Ketamine is taken in higher doses, it can lead to amnesia, delirium, high blood pressure, fatal respiratory disorders and impaired motor functions. When taken in low doses, the intoxication caused by this drug can result in other problems like impaired learning ability and attention and memory loss. Short term use of this club causes the addict to hallucinate. The major effect of the Ketamine drug is dissociation. This causes some weird experiences in the victim like near death and out of the body experiences.

The San Diego Sheriff’s Department has reported an increased in the use of Ketamine in the state since the last few years. Many Ketamine drug addicts in the state have report the drug incidents to like the bad LSD trips. Under the influence of this drug, addicts feel they are flying or they make attempts like moving out of a car and the likes. A bottle of this highly addictive drug sells for some 16 dollars. The DEA Imperial County Resident Office reported the drug to be very common in the rave parties across the state. The law enforcement team of San Diego County raided a dance club in the recent times. They arrested 19 people in the party, four of who were found to directly deal in the Ketamine trade in the state. Per 0.02 grams or one dose of ketamine costs anything between $30 and $45.

2 Comments

1.   Claire   |  Monday, 03 May 2010 at 6:57 pm

   You have no idea what you are talking about. It is this exact kind of ignorance and false demonization of drugs that leads youth to discount ALL drug warnings, with the resulting tragedy that they fail to steer clear of the drugs that really DO pose a serious threat to mind, body and spirit (like crack, heroin, and crystal meth). Ketamine is nothing like you describe. Nobody has ever tried to fly on this drug, or jumped from a moving vehicle. It would not serve well as a surgical anesthetic if people were capable of such extreme motor activity while under its influence. Further, it is not addictive, except to the extent that some one who might enjoy the experience might want to repeat it. By that reasoning, roller coasters and cupcakes are highly addictive. Finally, you claim that a “bottle” of this drug goes for $19 while one dose sells for $30 to $45. Considering there are multiple doses in a bottle, I don’t need to know anything about this drug to know your math is screwed up.

   Kids read this kind of article and they recognize all of these errors (and probably more — kids are sharp) and you lose all credibility with them, like in the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf. As a result, when you tell them TRUE horror stories about junkies on heroin, or tweakers on crystal meth, they will discount them as more lies. How is it that so many supposedly intelligent adults have not learned such a simple lessen as the one found in the Boy Who Cried Wolf story? Try being part of the solution, not the problem. I am a concerned parent and stupid, ill-thought articles like yours MAKES MY JOB HARDER keeping kids from trying the REALLY dangerous drugs.

   
2.   JF   |  Tuesday, 04 May 2010 at 2:37 pm

   @ Claire

   I agree that the cost stated is obviously wrong – possibly a typo. Maybe it should say $190/bottle.

   Anyway for the rest of the text, I think it is quite conform to what I found after a quick seach I did on the Internet which included a few government websites. True, Ketamine is not the worst drug out there, but when abused it is actually a drug with dangerous physiological and psychological effects and brings about hallucinations; also, someone using it for an extended amount of time can become dependent to it. Here are the links so you can see for yourself:

   http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/clubdrugs.html
   http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/research/job185drugs/ketamine.htm
   http://www.ndaa.org/pdf/ntlc_ketamine.pdf

   I am not sure where you are getting your data yourself that makes you say that ketamine is not more dangerous than cupcakes or roller coasters. I would like to look at these references of yours if you care to share.