2023-12-17 06:56:36
The product, found in large quantities in the blood of the actor from “Friends”, according to the toxicological analysis, has seen its therapeutic use diverted over the years for recreational purposes.
The recent death of Matthew Perry shines the spotlight on a long-known drug: ketamine. Several factors contributed to the death determined to be “accidental” of the actor, Chandler Bing in Friends: “drowning”, “coronary heart disease”, as well as the “effects of buprenorphine”, a drug aimed at detoxification in cases of drug dependence. opioids, according to the toxicological analysis published Friday evening, December 15 by the Los Angeles County forensic medicine office.
But the death of Matthew Perry, found unconscious on October 28 by his assistant in a jacuzzi at his home in the Californian metropolis, was also largely caused by “acute effects” of taking ketamine. Libé takes stock of this drug.
What is ketamine?
“Ké” or “keta” is an anesthetic synthesized in the 1960s, particularly for veterinary use, and sometimes diverted for psychedelic purposes. Classified on the list of essential medicines of the World Health Organization (WHO), the product is subject to marketing authorization limited to a single use in a hospital environment. Its properties, particularly dissociative, have gradually attracted many consumers outside the medical context.
What use?
For a long time, ketamine remained confined to the world of raves and free parties. What its followers have in common is often that they are already consumers of psychotropic products before trying them for the first time. The uses they put to it are just as varied. Some use it to get to sleep, others to manage the lack of opiates or self-medicate by “micro-dosing”. Still others occasionally snort it following-party or during chemsex, a practice consisting of consuming psychotropic products to intensify sexual acts mainly widespread in relationships between men.
Furthermore, since the beginning of the 2000s the substance has demonstrated great effectiveness in the treatment of patients suffering from severe and resistant depression, anxiety or other chronic pain. During the pandemic in the United States, health restrictions led authorities to allow doctors to remotely prescribe medications, including ketamine. Companies, some of which already specialized in clinic treatments, then began evaluating potential clients online and sending drug doses to people considered good candidates.
What effects?
Ketamine is a psychoactive substance that can be addictive, experts warn. In addition to neuropsychiatric risks (hallucination, paranoia) or cognitive disorders with memory impairment, its regular use can affect the bladder and kidneys.
“When the user consumes ketamine, there can be decorporation, the user sees himself leaving his body,” describes Sabrina Cherki, coordinator of the System for the Identification of Toxics and Substances (Sintes) at the Observatory. French Drugs and Addictive Tendencies (OFDT).
At very high doses, it is possible to reach a very advanced state of psychoactive effects called “K-Hole”: a total loss of consciousness, with the inability to move. Some people also report near-death experiences (NDE).
How big?
In terms of figures, there is no precise data on ketamine consumption because prevalence rates are not measured in the general population. On the law enforcement side, 249 kg were seized in 2018, according to the Anti-Narcotics Office (Ofast). Since then, the product has disappeared from the annual statistics. Only one seizure of 152 kg at a toll in the Oise was recorded in October 2022.
Marginal figures compared to those for cannabis or cocaine consumption. The misuse of ketamine remains low even though, paradoxically, the product in its liquid form, colorless and odorless, is particularly difficult to find. In addition, saliva tests cannot detect it.
Ketamine is sold in powder or crystals for 40 euros per gram – cheaper than cocaine (around 70 euros). It arrives by postal freight, sold on the darknet from South-East Asia, particularly in India. And sometimes passing through the north of France, through Lille in particular.
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