Silent Rise of Ketamine on Our Streets: Illicit shipments of horse tranquilizer-turned-party drugs are up 350% since 2017 — with Tennessee and Florida being the busiest
According to a study, US ketamine seizures have more than quadrupled in just five years.
Researchers in New York and Florida warned that the number of illegal drug raids linked to the tranquilizer has risen 350 percent since 2017, from 55 to 247 in 2022, after analyzing official data.
During that time, the annual weight of street ketamine seized in raids increased from 127 pounds to 1,550 pounds.
The rise of ketamine on the street comes as the drug is building a reputation as an effective way to treat mental health issues and trauma. Clinics across the country offer it as an off-label treatment for depression, anxiety, and even to improve relationships.
According to official data, the number of ketamine seizures in the US has increased by 350 percent
However, the total weight of the ketamine seized increased by 1,100 percent
Ketamine, also known as Special K, Ket, or Kit Kat, was popular as a party drug in the late 1990s and was commonly used at late-night raves.
But its popularity waned in the 2000s, when it became a Schedule III drug and concerns about side effects such as hallucinations and, in rare cases, seizures were raised.
However, the drug is now making a comeback, and polls suggest it’s making its way back onto the party scene.
The relaxation of prescribing practices during the Covid pandemic has also allowed for the emergence of pop-up clinics prescribing the drug off-label to treat mental health issues.
Although the number of seizures is increasing, they are still well below the records set in the early 2000s. The Drug Enforcement Agency says it seized up to 7 million doses of ketamine in 2001 alone.
For the study, scientists led by NYU Langone Health analyzed data from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, which collects figures on seizures of drugs, including ketamine, in the United States.
A total of 873 ketamine fuses weighing around 1,600 kilograms were registered between 2017 and 2022.
Tennessee had the most recorded seizures (130 total) and also had the largest ketamine weight confiscated (1,860 pounds).
Numerically, Florida was second with 113 recorded seizures and California third with 73 seizures.
By weight, Pennsylvania had the second highest number of confiscated goods at 340 pounds and New York had the third highest number at 71.8 pounds.
But the scientists said that doesn’t mean the drugs would be more commonly consumed in those states — as that may not be their ultimate destination.
In the study, scientists said the increase was due to more people using the drug at parties, surveys showed.
There was also a suggestion that this was because drug enforcement agencies were more vigilant.
dr Joseph Palamar, a population health expert who led the study, said, “This dramatic increase in ketamine seizures by law enforcement agencies may be indicative of increasing non-medical and recreational use.”
“Unlike illicit ketamine years ago, most illicit ketamine today is not pharmaceutical grade and is sold in powder form, which can increase the risk that it contains other drugs like fentanyl.”
“Accidental exposure to fentanyl can lead to an overdose.”
He says there are concerns that every illicit powder in the US could be contaminated with fentanyl, just as it is now found in heroin and cocaine.
He also warned that media and medical promotions for prescription ketamine have been fueling black market use and availability in recent years.
dr Palamar hopes the latest findings will better inform prevention and harm reduction strategies to protect the public from increased exposure to illicit ketamine and potential adverse effects of its use.
The study was published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.