AUSTRALIAN CRIME COMMISSION ON KETAMINE

The club drug Ketamine has the street names of K, Special K or Vitamin K and is commonly found in liquid, crystalline and tablet form.

Ketamine used in Australia is likely to have been diverted from legitimate medical or veterinary sources.

Powdered Ketamine is often snorted or inhaled.

Some criminal groups have been known to spray Ketamine on methyl amphetamine tablets to fool users into thinking they are using ecstasy.

The December 2005 Party Drug Trends Bulletin reported recent Ketamine use at 15 per cent of club drug users in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and SA with lower use in Tasmania, WA and NT.

Ketamine use appears to be increasing in some states and territories.

(Source: Illicit Drug Data Report 2004-05, Australian Crime Commission April, 2006)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA COMMENTS-

Ketamine is an example of a drug with limited veterinary and medical uses being diverted into club drug use.

Ketamine is limited for human use because of its psychedelic episodes in patients so users are ignorant of the dangers.

Club drug users are likely to experience long term health problems from the damage.

Australia must reduce the demand for club drugs by diverting users into detoxification and rehabilitation to get them drug free.

Countries that have successfully reduced the number of illicit drug users have cut off money flowing to criminal and terrorist groups by using their courts to direct users into detoxification and rehabilitation.

THE DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS-

More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.

Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.

Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.

27/2006