Pubdate: Fri, 28 Oct 2005
Source: Parksville Qualicum Beach News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Parksville Qualicum Beach News
Contact:  http://www.pqbnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1361
Author: Cst. Beth Blackburn

WHEN DRUGS ARE USED BY PREDATORS

Ketamine is an anesthetic that is abused for its hallucinogenic 
properties. It is legally used in veterinary medicine, usually as a 
tranquilizer for animals.

Abuse of the drug gained popularity when users discovered that it 
produced effects similar to those associated to PCP. Ketamine has 
also been used by sexual predators to incapacitate their intended victims.

What does it look like?

Ketamine is generally sold as either a colourless, odourless liquid 
or as an off-white powder.

How is ketamine abused?

In either its powder or liquid forms ketamine is mixed with beverages 
or added to smokable materials such as marijuana or tobacco. As a 
powder the drug is snorted or pressed into tablets - often in 
combination with ecstasy.

What are the risks?

Ketamine causes users to have distorted perceptions of sight and 
sound and to feel disconnected and out of control. Users also have a 
very high tolerance to pain and have increased strength. This is 
symptom is very concerning to law enforcement when dealing with 
clients under the influence of ketamine.

Ketamine can cause depression, delirium, amnesia, impaired motor 
function, high blood pressure and potentially fatal respiratory 
problems. What are street names for ketamine? Special K , K , cat 
valium, Kit Kat

Ecstasy, also known as the 'hug drug,' causes euphoric effects. 
Ecstasy gives the user a generalized feeling of peace and happiness, 
emotional closeness to others, sensory enhancement - touch, taste, smell, etc.

The downside to the use of ecstasy is confusion, anxiety, panic 
attacks, disorientation, delusions, lapses in memory, liver damage, 
kidney failure, convulsions, coma, stroke, paranoia and suicide.

Using MDMA (Ecstasy) may result in death, however, permanent brain 
damage is more prevalent amongst users.

MDMA use is wide-spread among youth. Studies in B.C. Show some 
tablets being sold to youth as ecstasy are in fact less than 50 per 
cent, by analysis, pure MDMA.

Commonly, analysis reveals that the tablets are in fact a combination 
of drugs, namely methamphetamine, ketamine, PCP, LSD, codeine and 
caffeine just to name of few.

This creates a false sense of security for the user who believes they 
are ingesting ecstasy.
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MAP posted-by: Beth