| The K That Kills | |
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This is a guest feature by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP).
Veterinarians use ketamine hydrochloride to tranquilize animals. Doctors used it during the Vietnam War as an anesthetic for battlefield surgery. But use of this drug, commonly referred to as Special K and also known as Vitamin K, Kit Kat, Keller, and Cat Valium, is increasing in popularity among youth as a club drug. Special K also is being used as a "date rape" drug because, when slipped into someone's drink, it can render him or her unconscious.
Special K first became popular for illicit use in the 1970s and 1980s, and it resurfaced in the past decade in the rave scene. The number of hospital emergency room mentions of ketamine totaled 263 in 2000, a significant increase since 1994 when there were only 19 mentions of ketamine. In a Monitoring the Future survey from 2001, 2.5 percent of high school seniors, 2.1 percent of 10th graders, and 1.3 percent of 8th graders reported past year ketamine use; these ketamine statistics exceeded the numbers for past year use of the club drug GHB and for lifetime use of Rohypnol. More young people are discovering this dangerous drug, and its frequent use has been reported in cities like Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Newark, New York City, Phoenix, San Diego, and Washington, DC.
Special K is available as a tablet, powder, or liquid. It's actually similar in appearance to cocaine and methamphetamine and is sometimes mistaken for those drugs. In powder form, it's sometimes sprinkled on tobacco or marijuana and smoked. It also can be injected, but the tranquilizing effects of the drug are so powerful that users sometimes lose control of their bodies before they finish the injection.
The "zoned-out" state produced by Special K is known as "K-hole," and it is characterized by hallucinations, visual distortions, paranoia, and feelings of non-reality. Some users have even described a "near-death" type of experience. Because Special K is a disassociative drug, the user loses the normal sense of connection between body and mind. For example, if a user becomes physically hurt while high, he or she may not realize it because the feedback loop between mind and body has been cut off. In fact, people sometimes cut or burn themselves while high on Special K. Short-term effects usually last from 1 to 6 hours, but sometimes the effects don't wear off for 24 to 48 hours.
Physical effects include slurred speech, vomiting, increased heart rate and blood pressure, loss of coordination, trouble breathing, and paralysis. Large doses increase the risk of convulsions, brain damage, heart attack, stroke, coma, and death. The user also may lose consciousness, putting himself or herself at greater risk for sexual or other types of assault.
As a parent, you should be aware of the warning signs of Special K use in your teen. Clubs, parties, or raves are the usual venue for the sale and use of Special K and other club drugs because the stimulating atmosphere may enhance the user's high. If your teen seems attracted to the club scene, concerts, or all-night dance parties, make sure he or she knows what club drugs are and why they are dangerous. Your teen may be only interested in listening to music or hanging out with friends, but drugs are a significant part of club culture, and he or she may encounter peer pressure to use them. Also, be aware that your teen doesn't have to be a "raver" to use club drugs. Club drugs can be purchased in clubs and brought back to college dorms or bedrooms. So, no matter what your teen's interests are, it's important to start and maintain a dialog about the dangers of Special K and other illicit drugs.
at the Parenting of Adolescents Site |
