Ketamine Addiction Facts and Statistics
Compared to drugs like cocaine, marijuana, and heroin, there aren’t many available ketamine facts and statistics. The drug has its place in the medical community, and could potentially be a breakthrough treatment for severe depression. In March 2019, the FDA approved a new ketamine-based drug for use in people with depression that haven’t responded to other treatment methods.
Emergency department visits for illicit drugs of all kinds, including ketamine, continue rising, according to data collected between 2004 and 2011 by the Drug Abuse Warning Network. Additionally, out of more than two million emergency room visits in 2011, 1,550 were for ketamine use. That’s up from 303 in 2005.
A 2017 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) study found that 1.4 million people ages 12 and older were current (past month) hallucinogen users. This includes ketamine users. The percentage of the population reporting using hallucinogenic drugs like ketamine breaks down into the following age groups:
- Teens ages 12–17: 0.6%
- Young adults ages 18–25: 1.7%
- Adults age 26 or older: 0.3%
Ketamine date rape statistics show that it’s among the more commonly used date rape drugs. Ketamine and other date rape drugs are sometimes called “club drugs” because people often use them at parties, concerts, bars or dance clubs. Nearly 11 million women in the U.S. report being raped while drunk or under the influence of ketamine or other date rape drugs. It’s colorless and odorless. Predators can easily slip it into someone’s drink. Additionally, intentional misuse of ketamine impairs judgment and can leave the person using it vulnerable.
Ketamine Addiction, Abuse & Treatment Trends in South Florida
South Florida is embracing ketamine’s legal use for treating severe depression. Infusion centers have opened throughout the region in response to the FDA’s approval of ketamine as a treatment option for people who have treatment-resistant depression.