Now, a former Cornell University student\u2019s lawsuit<\/a> alleging she was gang raped by a group of fraternity members in 2024 includes numerous descriptions of ketamine use by her and her attackers.<\/p>\n As recreational ketamine use rises<\/a> and researchers continue to explore ways the drug could help people in clinical settings, here\u2019s a primer on this drug, its uses and its risks.<\/p>\n What is ketamine?<\/p>\n It is a dissociative drug, meaning it makes users feel detached<\/a> from their body, pain and the physical environment, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration<\/a>. It can also<\/a> cause<\/a> hallucinations and sedation.<\/p>\n The Food and Drug Administration approves of ketamine for anesthesia purposes, as it can help block pain and cause unconsciousness. For this purpose, it is typically<\/a> administered<\/a> intravenously or injected into a muscle.<\/p>\n The FDA has also approved<\/a> the nasal spray esketamine, a ketamine derivative<\/a>, to treat depression in very controlled circumstances<\/a>.<\/p>\n Under federal law, ketamine is classified a Schedule III drug<\/a>, which means it has a \u201cmoderate to low\u201d potential for physical and psychological dependence and less potential for abuse than Schedule II drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine.<\/p>\n It has a reputation as a party<\/a>, club and rave drug<\/a>. Its other nicknames include ket, super K, vitamin K or super acid. Liquid ketamine<\/a> is injected, mixed into drinks or evaporated into crystals that are then ground into powder that can be snorted or smoked. It has been used to facilitate sexual assault<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ketamine is legal<\/a> with a prescription<\/a> for medical use, including for off-label uses such as treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.<\/p>\n But its status as a Schedule III drug means that it is illegal to possess<\/a> and distribute or traffic<\/a> ketamine for recreational use.<\/p>\n What is ketamine used for in clinical settings?<\/p>\n Before and during a surgical procedure, it can be used at high doses to cause<\/a> drowsiness, promote sleep and render a person unconscious<\/a>.<\/p>\n Esketamine<\/a>, sometimes also simply called ketamine, is used to manage depression that\u2019s unresponsive<\/a> to other treatments and can offer rapid relief<\/a>. The spray is administered in a hospital or clinic and healthcare providers monitor patients for at least two hours before they are allowed to leave.<\/p>\n Ketamine therapy is when medical professionals administer low doses of the drug.<\/a> Some people describe esketamine spray for depression as ketamine therapy, but the term also refers to doctors prescribing ketamine infusions<\/a> off-label to treat conditions such as chronic pain, depression<\/a>, obsessive compulsive disorder<\/a> and PTSD. Medication being prescribed \u201coff-label\u201d means<\/a> it isn\u2019t FDA approved for that purpose.<\/p>\n Early research<\/a> has also found short-term benefits<\/a> to using ketamine as a substance use disorder treatment<\/a>, but more research is needed.<\/p>\n The drug is sometimes used recreationally because it can cause an out-of-body experience<\/a> or produce hallucinations<\/a> that last about 30 minutes to a few hours<\/a>. Some people describe a dissociative state or experiencing oblivion, sometimes called a \u201ck-hole<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Ketamine can<\/a> cause immobility, sedation, amnesia and distort a person\u2019s sense of sight and smell. Overdosing on ketamine can cause<\/a> unconsciousness and dangerously slowed breathing.<\/p>\n What are side effects and other risks of ketamine?\u00a0<\/p>\n Side effects can<\/a> include<\/a> headache, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, poor memory, confusion, anxiety, agitation, a spike in blood pressure<\/a> and shortness of breath.<\/p>\n People can develop an addiction<\/a> to ketamine, and that risk is higher<\/a> for people who have a history of addiction.<\/p>\n Long-term ketamine abuse also carries risks such as poor memory and concentration, abnormal liver or kidney function and ketamine bladder syndrome<\/a> (weakened bladder, incontinence and bladder ulceration), according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation<\/a> in Australia.<\/p>\n How does it mix with alcohol?\u00a0<\/p>\n As a central nervous system depressant<\/a>, alcohol slows brain activity. Mixing alcohol with ketamine increases the sedative effects of both drugs, increasing a person\u2019s risk of losing consciousness<\/a>.<\/p>\n At lower doses of combining the two, a person risks<\/a> nausea and vomiting and at higher doses the risk of passing out and then aspirating vomit increases.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Equipment-used-to-customize-ketamine-infusions-10-27-2023-.jpg\")
Medical equipment used to customize ketamine infusions for patients is seen at the Duke Specialty Infusion Center, Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, in Durham, N.C. (AP)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Patient-receives-an-infusion-of-the-drug-ketamine-07-25-2018.jpg\")
Lauren Pestikas sits as she receives an infusion of the drug ketamine during a 45-minute session at an outpatient clinic in Chicago on July 25, 2018. Pestikas struggled with depression and anxiety before starting ketamine treatments. (AP)
\nHow is ketamine misused or abused?<\/p>\n