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ICJI > Substance Abuse Services Division > About Indiana Point Of Youth > Ketamine Ketamine

KNOW THE SLANG
Breakfast cereal , Date rape drug , Ketaject , Ketalar , New Ecstasy , Psychedelic heroin , Special-K , Super-K , Vitamin K

KNOW WHAT IT IS
Ketamine hydrochloride is a central nervous system depressant and a rapid-acting general anesthetic. It has sedative-hypnotic, analgesic, and hallucinogenic properties. It is marketed in the US and a number of foreign countries for use as a general anesthetic in both human and veterinary medical practice.

KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Ketamine is a white powder, similar to cocaine.

KNOW HOW IT IS USED
Normally found in liquid injectable form, it is converted into a powder and re-packaged in small ziplock bags or capsules. Ketamine is generally snorted but is sometimes sprinkled on tobacco or marijuana and smoked. Special K is frequently used in combination with other drugs, such as Ecstasy, heroin and cocaine.

KNOW ITS SHORT-TERM EFFECTS
Effects can include profound hallucinations that include visual distortions and a lost sense of time, sense and identity. Other effects can include delirium, impaired motor function, potentially fatal respiratory problems, convulsions, and vomiting when mixed with alcohol and out of body experiences. A "K-hole" is the term users of ketamine use to describe an overdose experience

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)