Key facts about ketamine, its effects and how it can be detected.
In January 2025 the government announced they were going to start investigating a call to reclassify ketamine from a Class B substance to Class A. This is after a significant rise in the illegal use of ketamine over recent years, reaching record levels in the year ending March 2023. This article will provide information about ketamine including how its use can be detected through drug testing.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine was developed as an anaesthetic and is used on both humans and animals. It is the most common substance used to anaesthetise horses; hence it is popularly referred to as ‘horse tranquiliser’. Alternative medical uses include controlling pain that has not responded to other treatments and more recently it has been used ‘off-label’ to treat depression. When used as an anaesthetic, ketamine comes in the form of a clear liquid. However, when bought illegally it is usually a crystalline white or brown powder.
Ketamine is taken illegally due to its ability to produce dissociative sensations and hallucinations. It is also one of the most frequently detected drugs in incidents of spiking and a common ingredient of ‘pink cocaine’ – an increasingly popular abused drug made up of varying combinations of synthetic drugs.
Other names for Ketamine include:
- K
- Ket
- Special K
- Super K
- Vitamin K
What are the effects of Ketamine?
When snorted, ketamine typically begins to take effect in less than 10 minutes. If taken orally it can take longer for the initial onset of effects to occur. How long the ‘high’ lasts for depends on the amount taken and whether the individual has any existing tolerance to the drug.
Ketamine has been reclassified in the UK previously, increasing from a Class C substance to Class B in 2014. This was due to evidence showing frequent ketamine use could cause irreversible bladder damage. Other chronic side effects include damage to the urinary tract from the kidneys down to the bladder, with symptoms such as incontinence.
What do the withdrawal symptoms look like?
Ketamine withdrawal symptoms can vary depending on how frequently and how much ketamine has been consumed. Common withdrawal symptoms can include agitation, fatigue, confusion, nausea paranoia, hallucinations and stomach cramps.
How can you test for Ketamine?
At Cellmark, we can test for a wide range of drugs and metabolites (breakdown products). Our laboratories can test for evidence of ketamine use, and it is one of the 9 drugs in included in our standard panel.
How long does ketamine stay in your system?
Ketamine is estimated to take approximately 5-7 days from the time of drug use or exposure for head hair containing the drug markers to grow above the scalp and be available for cutting and analysis. It is recommended to wait at least three to four weeks following the suspected use of a drug before collection of a sample so that the period of use/exposure is included in the collected sample.
For expert advice from Cellmark DNA, Drug and Alcohol Testing, please visit https://www.cellmark.co.uk/. Alternatively, call our friendly Customer Services team on 0800 036 2522 or email info@cellmark.co.uk where a member of our team will respond to your enquiry.
This article was submitted to be published by Cellmark as part of their advertising agreement with Today’s Family Lawyer. The views expressed in this article are those of the submitter and not those of Today’s Family Lawyer.
