Ketamine

Published on February 11, 2026 at 3:00 / Updated on February 26, 2026 at 8:00

Common names	Terms commonly used to refer to the substance: Cat tranquillizer, K, Kit Kat, Special K, Vitamin K.
Classification	Central nervous system disruptor, dissociative anesthetic: Disrupts brain function, causes disturbances in perception, mood and cognitive processes.
Mechanism of action	Ketamine works by blocking certain receptors in the brain (called NMDA receptors), which changes the way neurons communicate with one another. It also affects dopamine, a chemical involved in mood regulation.
Routes of administration	Most often snorted. Can be added to a cigarette and smoked or mixed with liquids and ingested. Other routes of administration are possible but rare.

Desired effects sought by the user

Euphoria (heightened sense of well-being)
Floating sensation (dissociative effect)
Hallucinations

Insensitivity to pain
Mystical experiences

Common adverse effects

Altered state of consciousness
Blurred vision
Confusion
Decreased respiratory rate
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Fever
High blood pressure

Impaired motor coordination
Intense abdominal cramps
Memory loss
Nausea and vomiting
Slurred speech
Tachycardia (increased heart rate)
Unpleasant taste
Urinary and renal problems

Overdose effects

Coma
Death
Respiratory depression

Seizures
Stroke

Tolerance (need to increase the dose to feel the same effect)

Yes.

Addiction

Yes, mostly psychological.

Withdrawal

Possible. Withdrawal symptoms are still poorly defined and can vary from person to person. The following symptoms can occur: anxiety, tremors, sweating, palpitations, depression.

Onset and duration of action
Route of administration	Onset of action	Duration of action
Ingested	Up to 30 minutes	Up to 8 hours
Snorted	5 to 15 minutes	45 to 60 minutes
Intravenous injection	Less than a minute	15 to 20 minutes

Intoxication management

No antidote available
Treatment is mainly symptomatic

Many different street drugs are sold under the same name. Furthermore, nothing guarantees the quantity, purity or even the content of a street drug in spite of the fact that it may, in some cases, look like medication.

If you need help or want to learn more:

Public Health Agency of Canada

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