Pubdate: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2005, BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Author: Beth Blackburn Note: Const. Beth Blackburn is the Drug Awareness Coordinator for the RCMP in Central Vancouver Island. KETAMINE, ECSTASY OFFER SYNTHESIZED HEALTH RISKS 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 with PCP. Ketamine has been used by sexual predators to incapacitate their intended victims. Ketamine is generally sold as either a colourless, odorless liquid or as an off-white powder. 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. 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 for pain and have increased strength. This symptom is of great concern 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. Street names for Ketamine include Special K, K, cat valium and Kit Kat. MDMA (Ecstasy) is also known as the 'hug drug' due to its euphoric effects. Ecstasy gives the user a generalized feeling of peace and happiness, emotional closeness to others and sensory enhancement such as touch, taste and smell. The downside to the use of ecstasy are 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 amongst youth. Analyses in B.C. have found that the tablets being sold to youth as Ecstasy are in fact pure MDMA less that 50 per cent of the time. Commonly the analysis reveals that the tablets are 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. Const. Beth Blackburn is the Drug Awareness Coordinator for the RCMP in Central Vancouver Island. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin