Towards an Explanation of Subjective Ketamine Experiences among Young Injection Drug Users.
Stephen E Lankenau, Bill Sanders, Jennifer Jackson Bloom, Dodi Hathazi
Addiction Research & Theory 2008 DOI: 10.1080/16066350801983749 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 213 |
| Population | Young injection drug users with histories of ketamine use recruited in New York, New Orleans, and Los Angeles |
| Topics | Esketamine Ketamine |
| Key findings | The authors report that six factors shaped both positive and negative ketamine experiences: polydrug use, drug use history, mode of administration, quantity and quality of ketamine, user group, and setting. Most subjective experiences during any given ketamine event were shaped by combinations of these factors, and experiences were particularly influenced by a lifestyle characterized by homelessness and traveling. |
Abstract
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic with powerful sedative and hallucinogenic properties. Despite the wide variability in reported subjective experiences, no study has attempted to describe the particular factors that shape these experiences. This manuscript is based upon a sample of 213 young injection drug users recruited in New York, New Orleans, and Los Angeles with histories of ketamine use. Qualitative interviews focused on specific ketamine events, such as first injection of ketamine, most recent injection of ketamine, and most recent experience sniffing ketamine. Findings indicate that six factors impacted both positive and negative ketamine experiences: polydrug use, drug using history, mode of administration, quantity and quality of ketamine, user group, and setting. Most subjective experiences during any given ketamine event were shaped by a combination of these factors. Additionally, subjective ketamine experiences were particularly influenced by a lifestyle characterized by homelessness and traveling.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on ketamine, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Pharmacovigilance of esketamine nasal spray: an analysis of the FDA adverse event reporting system database. Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024
- Sphincter of oddi dysfunction induced by ketamine: A case report. Clinical Case Reports June 1, 2024
- Ketamine Use in Self-Described Therapeutic Contexts: A Thematic Analysis of Reddit Posts Behavioral Sciences March 24, 2026
Cites 6
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- First injection of ketamine among young injection drug users (IDUs) in three U.S. cities. Drug and Alcohol Dependence September 18, 2006
- Patterns of polydrug use among ketamine injectors in New York City. Substance Use & Misuse 2005
and 1 more in the library