Drug
Information: K
Ketamine | Khat
Ketamine
Street
terms for Ketamine: jet, super acid, Special "K", green, K,
cat Valium1
What
does Ketamine look like?
- Ketamine comes
in a clear liquid and a white or off-white powder form.
How
is Ketamine used?
- Ketamine is
a tranquilizer most commonly used on animals.
- The liquid
form can be injected, consumed in drinks, or added to smokable
materials.
- The powder
form can be used for injection when dissolved.2
- In certain
areas, Ketamine is being injected intramuscularly.3
Who
uses Ketamine?
- Ketamine, along
with the other "club drugs," has become popular among
teens and young adults at dance clubs and "raves."
How
does Ketamine get into the United States?
- Marketed as
a dissociative general anesthetic for human and veterinary use,
the only known source of Ketamine is via diversion of pharmaceutical
products.
- Recent press
reports indicate that a significant number of veterinary clinics
are being robbed specifically for their Ketamine stock.
- DEA reporting
indicates that a major source of Ketamine in the United States
is product diverted from pharmacies in Mexico.4
How
much does Ketamine cost?
- Prices average
$20 to $25 per dosage unit.5
What
are some consequences of Ketamine use?
- Higher doses
produce an effect referred to as "K-Hole," an "out
of body," or "near-death" experience.6
- Use of the
drug can cause delirium, amnesia, depression, and long-term memory
and cognitive difficulties. Due to its dissociative effect, it
is reportedly used as a date-rape drug.7
1Office
of National Drug Control Policy, Street Terms: Drugs and the
Drug Trade.
2Drug Enforcement Administration, Club
Drugs: An Update, September 2001.
3National Institute on Drug Abuse, Community
Drug Alert Bulletin: Club Drugs, December 1999.
4Drug Enforcement Administration, Club
Drugs: An Update, September 2001.
5Ibid.
6Ibid.
7Ibid.
Khat
Street
terms for Khat: (pronounced Cot) Abyssinian tea, African salad, oat,
kat, chat, and catha.i Also referred to as
qat in Yemen, tschat in Ethiopia, and miraa in Kenya ii
What does Khat look
like? iii
- Khat is a flowering
evergreen shrub native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
- Khat that is
sold and abused is usually just the leaves, twigs, and shoots of
the Khat shrub.
How is Khat used?iv
- Khat is typically
chewed like tobacco.
- The fresh leaves,
twigs, and shoots of the Khat shrub are chewed, and then retained
in the cheek and chewed intermittently to release the active drug.
- Dried plant
material can be made into tea or a chewable paste.
- Khat can also
be smoked and even sprinkled on food.
What are some consequences
of Khat use? v
- Common side
effects include anorexia, tahycardia, hypertension, insomnia, and
gastric disorders.
- Chronic Khat
abuse can result in symptoms such as physical exhaustion, violence,
and suicidal depression.
- Widespread frequent
use of Khat impacts productivity because it tends to reduce worker
motivation.
- Khat can induce
manic behaviors, hyperactivity, and hallucinations.vi
- There are reports
of Khat-induced psychosis.vii
Who uses Khat? viii
- The use of Khat
is an established cultural tradition for many social situations in
the areas of primary cultivation: East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
- Several million
people may currently be using Khat worldwide.
- The largest
concentrations of users are in the regions surrounding the Middle
East.
How does Khat get
to the United States?ix
- Khat, while
illegal in the United States, is legal in much of Europe, East Africa,
and the Arabian Peninsula.
- Individuals
of East African and Middle Eastern descent are mot often responsible
for the importation, distribution, possession, and use of Khat in
the United States.
- Khat is usually
shipped already packaged in bundles, and wrapped in plastic bags
or banana leaves to retain moisture and freshness.
- Khat is generally
smuggled in passenger luggage, overnight express mail, or shipped as
air cargo and falsely labeled as "vegetables."
How much does Khat
cost?
- Exactly prices
are not known, but Khat is a relatively costly drug.x
i "Khat," DEA
Intelligence Brief, DEA Intelligence Division, June 2002
ii "Drugs and Chemicals of Concern: Khat," DEA
Diversion Control Program
iii "Drugs and Chemicals of Concern: Khat," DEA
Diversion Control Program
iv "Khat," DEA Intelligence Brief,
DEA Intelligence Division, June 2002
v "Khat," DEA Intelligence Brief, DEA
Intelligence Division, June 2002
vi "Drugs and Chemicals of Concern: Khat," DEA
Diversion Control Program
vii "Drugs and Chemicals of Concern: Khat," DEA
Diversion Control Program
viii "Khat," DEA Intelligence Brief,
DEA Intelligence Division, June 2002
ix "Khat," DEA Intelligence Brief,
DEA Intelligence Division, June 2002
x "Khat," DEA Intelligence Brief, DEA
Intelligence Division, June 2002 |