anabolic frolic

Rave scene adopts vet's medicine as hot drug
Tranquilizer usually used on animals

Emma Poole
Calgary Herald


Friday, May 09, 2003

Drug dealers targeting the city's popular rave scene are "pushing the envelope" with a narcotic usually used to tranquilize animals, say police.

The drug, known in its true form as ketamine, popped up at Calgary's all-night dances last year and has since been a focus of two undercover police operations.

The operations -- dubbed E-motion and Wisk-E by police -- lead to 15 arrests and the seizure of more than 650 ecstasy pills, 10 ounces of ketamine, LSD and magic mushrooms.

Ketamine causes hallucinations, fear, confusion, delirium and neurosis when ingested by humans.

On Thursday, members of the CPS drug unit displayed a portion of the powdered ketamine that they had confiscated from an alleged Calgary trafficker.

"This is an extremely large seizure when you consider we found a half a pound of (ketamine). The normal dosage is a line, or a 10th of a gram," said Det. Pat Tetley. "When you see it in a quantity like this, this is large-scale commercial trafficking procedures."

Ketamine is highly addictive and users must steadily increase their dosage to get a high.

"It's used by these kids at these dance parties because it puts them in a stupefied condition, very much like being very intoxicated," said Tetley.

"The problem is that the most gratifying effects for them is when they are near total anesthesia and they enter in the 'K-state' or 'K-hole,' and they can have an out-of-body experience."

Ketamine is frequently used by veterinarians in liquid format. It is injected into animals for medical reasons.

"Reality is, you can't go to a pharmacy and buy ketamine," he said. "This is all done very clandestinely through break-ins or something on the black market."

The popularity of ketamine is reaching the point of ecstasy usage, a fact that concerns investigators.

"We as a police service, and the community for that matter, should be very concerned about this," said Tetley. "When you consider that you have kids as young as 13 or 14 years old going to these (raves) and our undercover operators being able to buy drugs off kids that young, knowing full well they're ingesting the same thing at that age, we're very concerned."

Tetley said drug unit officers see parents dropping their kids off at the raves, assuming they are in a safe, controlled environment.

Many all-night dances have security, and patrons are searched before they enter. Despite the efforts, police say the drugs are rampant.

"There is nothing good that can come of this. (Ketamine) is not to be used for normal, everyday consumption," said Tetley.

Police have released the name of the man charged with allegedly having a large stash of ketamine at his Calgary home.

Lindsay John Ferguson, 23, faces 15 charges, including trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Ferguson has also been charged with seven offences under the Food and Drug Act.

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New Drug From the Stable

- Drug: Ketamine is used by veterinarians and doctors as an anesthetic.

- Nicknames: K or Special K.

- Effect: High lasts for about an hour and causes a disassociative, hallucinogenic state. In the "K-state" or "K-hole," a user can seem to have an out-of-body experience. It also causes hallucinations, fear, confusion, delirium and neurosis. And it can cause someone to stop breathing and die.

- Cost on the street: $35 for a half-gram vial, approximately the same price as an equivalent amount of cocaine.

epoole@theherald.canwest.com

© Copyright 2003 Calgary Herald

limey

Ketamine?

I never woulda thought.

Those rave folk never cease to amaze me.

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objectiview711

hmmmmmmmm...ive never heard of such a thing either....and whats extersee?

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milk

mrmagoo

ketamine? never heard of it

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In a row?!?!?!?!?!

pointy_sticks

Ketamine is addictive? I've never heard that before...somehow I kind of doubt it.

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I'm a girl!

RoB-B

its not physically addictive at all

been there and dont that

personally i cant stand the shit now, and i dont see how people can do it so often

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pointy_sticks

I think K is disgusting, and people who use it a lot scare me.

DirectDrive

...umm...

...umm...

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the greatest rave organization to ever have existed

candypunk

K sux, I dont do drugs anymore, but if your gonna do drugs, dont do K, its no fun, and its not a new drug lol maybe 5 years ago

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kick your legs in the air!