‘Mysterious’ new ketamine variant on Australian streets

A potentially dangerous new party drug has hit the streets of Melbourne, with scientists scrambling to find out if it was deliberately made or part of a botched batch.

Scientists at the pill testing service have found a new variant of ketamine.

Scientists have detected a mysterious and potentially dangerous variant of ketamine circulating on the illicit drug market, which some users have reported left them suffering “very different” effects to what they expected.

Australian National University Professor Malcolm McLeod, who advises Australia’s first pill testing service in Canberra, CanTest, said he was “almost certain” the new drug was manufactured overseas, imported illegally and sold as ketamine on the illicit market.

It is unclear whether the new drug had been deliberately manufactured, or whether it was a botched run of ketamine.

Prof McLeod said it was unclear the extent to which the new drug — dubbed CanKet — was being sold in other Australian cities, because of the lack of pill testing services outside Canberra.

Much of the ketamine sold illegally in Australia finds its way onto the black market from legitimate veterinary or medical supplies.

The discovery of the new variant could suggest drug suppliers are manufacturing and importing the new drug specifically to feed the recreational drug market, instead of relying on veterinary or medical sources.

David Caldicott is and the designer of Australia's first government-sanctioned pill testing program. Picture: AAP

Associate Professor David Caldicott, a long time harm-minimisation advocate and emergency department consultant, said it was “disconcerting” to see a drug circulating on the market when users and doctors had little idea about what effects it might have.

“Assuming that it is ‘safe’ because it appears related to ketamine would be an error of judgment,” he said.

“While it would be fair to say we understand ketamine very well as a drug, we literally have no other data as to what the acute or chronic effects of this close cousin might be.”

Scientists at the pill testing facility test drugs for purity and for potentially dangerous contaminants.

Results from the testing centre allows scientists keep close tabs on potentially dangerous drugs circulating in and around Canberra, and has given scientists a far clearer snapshot of the recreational drug market than law enforcement has.

Prof Caldicott said the pill testing facility — which was politically contentious — had the potential to save lives by warning people of the particularly dangerous or previously unknown illicit drugs being sold.

“It allows us to identify never before seen drugs, as well as common drugs, and provide people who use the service clear guidance on the likely health and other effects of these drugs,” Prof Caldicott said.

“This can potentially save lives.

“This time around the testing service has identified a product never before seen in Australia,

or most other parts of the world, and with no clinical information associated with it

anywhere.”

Ketamine is a powerful sedative and has legitimate uses including as a veterinary tranquilliser and a medical anaesthetic.

When used recreationally, it can result in an “out of body experience” but can have side effects including nightmares, hallucination, high blood pressure, and confusion.