Ketamine, between parties and self-medication against anxiety

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Long confined to the blocks surgical and veterinary surgeries, ketamine has infiltrated techno parties, chemsex and, more worryingly, the daily lives of many young people. Its diverted consumption is exploding, with devastating effects that go far beyond the festive setting.

In France, according to the French Drug Observatory, 3.3% of 18-24 year-olds have already experimented with “K” in 2023. These figures, although modest in appearance, mask frequent use and increasing doses among regular users. The consequences? A sometimes irreversible addiction, psychiatric disorders, and above all, severe urinary complications. “These cystitises induced by ketamine are often disabling and require surgical interventions,” recalls a report from the French Addictovigilance Network, a unique system in Europe which monitors the evolution of practices.

The phenomenon is not new: ketamine has been popular in party circles since the 1990s. It is attractive for its rapid hallucinogenic effects, but its widespread use raises questions. In 2022, nearly 3,000 seizures were made in Europe, or 2.79 tonnes of product intercepted. According to The Conversation, this increased circulation is based on digital sales channels, facilitating mass access. However, this availability encourages alternative uses, sometimes self-therapeutic – reducing anxiety, improving mood – without medical supervision and with increased risks.

Far from being confined to France, this global use reflects a societal crisis: escape through drugs (and other addictions) in the face of contemporary anxieties. 

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