The Lack of Longitudinal Evidence
A lot of new data is coming out about a drug that is seeing an increase in use as a recreational drug. It’s called “Tusi” or “Pink Cocaine,” but the drug mixture itself couldn’t be further from cocaine.
The drug is usually made up of three to four different drugs mixed to produce an intense effect. Included in the mixture are Ketamine, MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine), 2-CB (where it gets the name tusi), and Caffeine. The proportions of each drug are never the same and can vary drastically in quantity. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, MDMA is a powerful stimulant, 2C-B is a synthetic hallucinogen, and Caffeine is a much weaker stimulant.
With Ketamine, one can only ask if this whole trend stems from a new booming legal market and the influx of the powerful dissociative anesthetic. While some professionals may see the benefits of Ketamine in controlled amounts, the repercussions of legalizing something with such a potential for abuse raised many concerns. Since there is little evidence regarding Ketamine and how it affects the brain and body over time, it is irresponsible to advocate for a drug in the market without proper research or evidence of long-term effects. It is no coincidence that both Matthew Perry and Liam Payne both died from incidents related directly to Ketamine.
Some of the history on Ketamine; there was a big boom in Psychotherapy across the country, and the bombshell dropped was Ketamine. Ketamine was first synthesized in 1962 by Calvin L. Stevens for a company named Parke/Davis. The company sought an alternative to Phencyclidine, otherwise known as PCP. Yes, PCP. Both drugs were formulated for anesthetic purposes, to relieve one of sensation or consciousness. Ketamine has bounced around the medical industry since its inception and found its first big use in the 70s during the Vietnam War. This was because of its ability to suppress pain while leaving the patient conscious, but the downside was the extreme psychological effects it would have. It was then used in the 80s in veterinary medicine and as a party drug. In the 90s, it returned to the lens for its use in pain management, specifically in Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia.
In 2019, the FDA approved a form of Ketamine called Esketamine, which comes in a nasal spray and has the most advertising on social media platforms. Esketamine is considered a more potent version of ketamine and is considered to treat persons with treatment-resistant depression.
Now the question arises, how did we go from a party drug to a hope for the cure of depression? While some may rave at the potential benefits of Ketamine, the lack of longitudinal evidence and the willingness of people to jump into a Ketamine therapy session is alarming. Ketamine has been proven to be misused recreationally, leading to psychological dependence in people after their so-called “treatment.” Its dissociative effects can create a sense of detachment, which some users may find appealing. They will cause people to continue to seek it long after their treatment is supposedly complete. Long-term use can lead to memory problems, confusion, and other cognitive impairments that will inhibit an individual from functioning independently. Also, other studies suggest that it may cause changes in brain function over time that the person who received treatment may not want. The fact of the matter is Ketamine is a drug, and more specifically a drug that alters the way your brain processes the world around you, and while it may help in the short term with depression, it comes with a slew of other problems.
There is no “quick fix” in this world, especially not within the medical field. More and more people are finding out the long-term effects of Ketamine and are going into Ketamine induced psychosis or peeing blood. Ketamine has been reported to cause a bladder issue in 26–30 percent of the people who use it. The condition is called “Ketamine bladder” and is being investigated by many medical professionals. The latest example of the fatal outcomes of Ketamine would be the terrible loss of Liam Payne, who fell from a balcony in Buena Aires.
Regardless of the possible potential for a drug to have some amount of healing property, the risk of addiction and the possibility of death drastically outweigh any minor mood boost this drug has to offer. Unfortunately, Ketamine is a recipe for disaster and only time can prove that.
Z.L. Narconon Graduate
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