The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #44910

Stephen E. Lankenau, PhD, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th St., Suite 1040, New York, NY 10032, 212-305-5736, sl2056@columbia.edu

Parochially known as "Special K," "Vitamin K," or simply "K," ketamine is a conger of phencyclidine (PCP). Used for many years as an anesthetic in emergency and veterinary medicine, ketamine has recently emerged in a non-clinical context as one of several synthetic substances classified as "club drugs." Like other so-called "club drugs," such as MDMA, GHB, and Methamphetamine, most available information about ketamine stems from studies focused on "club drug" environments and populations, notably MSM venues. Much of this data has presumed non-injected modes of administrating ketamine, and HIV risk has been assessed in relation to increased risk for sexual transmission. Recent ethnographic data from New York indicates the previously unrecognized use of injection as a mode of administration ketamine - a practice that is prevalent among diverse sub-populations of high risk youth. Preliminary data indicate the use of an array of drug preparation and injection techniques that may pose increased risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens, notably HIV-1, HBV, and HCV. Additionally, the non-medical use of ketamine impacts a wide range of functions, including memory, language, and perception, as well as the regulation of emotions, such as fear, anger, and pleasure. In this presentation, we will detail particular risk practices undertaken by youth who inject ketamine - injection settings, injection groups, and drug preparation practices - and offer strategies as how to minimize risk among youth who inject ketamine.

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