Ketamine hydrochloride is a quick-acting anesthetic that is legally used in both humans (as a sedative for minor surgery) and animals (as a tranquilizer). At high doses, it causes intoxication and hallucinations similar to LSD.

Street Names:

K, Special K, Vitamin K, bump, Cat Valium

How It's Used:

Ketamine usually comes in powder that users snort. Users often do it along with other drugs such as Ecstasy (called kitty flipping) or cocaine or sprinkle it on marijuana blunts.

Effects & Dangers:

Users may become delirious, hallucinate, and lose their sense of time and reality. The trip - also called K-hole - that results from ketamine use lasts up to 2 hours.

Users may become nauseated or vomit, become delirious, and have problems with thinking or memory.

At higher doses, ketamine causes movement problems, body numbness, and slowed breathing.
Overdosing ketamine can stop you from breathing - and kill you.

Addictiveness:

Teens who use it can become psychologically dependent upon it to feel good, deal with life, or handle stress.

Reviewed by: Wes Bowman, PhD
Date reviewed: June 2002
Originally reviewed by: Jonathan Schneider, DO