Ketamine

Street names/slang terms:
Special K, vitamin K, new ecstasy, super-K, breakfast cereal, Ketalar, Ketaject, psychedelic heroin

Drug Type:
Ketamine hydrochloride is a central nervous system depressant and a rapid-acting general anesthetic. It has sedative-hypnotic, analgesic, and hallucinogenic properties.

What does it look like?
Ketamine is a white powder, similar to cocaine.

How is it 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.

Short-term Effects:
• visual distortions, delirium
• lost sense of time, sense and identity
• amnesia
• vomiting
• impaired motor function, convulsions
• potentially fatal respiratory problems

Long-term Effects:
• addiction
• flashbacks, memory
• dysfunction
• possible development of psychotic illnesses (if vulnerable to drug)

Source: Partnership for a Drug-Free America, NIDA