That being just one of the many pet names users have for ketamine. Now that more of the widely abused anesthetic is in circulation, some new (and strange) consequences have begun to emerge.

For example, severe urinary tract symptoms found among users in their 20’s following a year or so of regular use. According to a Medscape examination, symptoms include “…severe suprapubic pain [above the pubic bone], intense pollakiuria [frequent urination], and the need to urinate 30-50 times a day…”

Ouch.

I’m reminded of another drug-related syndrome, Cannabis Hyperemesis, marked by persistent episodes of vomiting, that first made an appearance in Colorado Emergency Rooms in the months   after cannabis was fully legalized. Most physicians had never encountered it, and were at least mildly surprised to find it restricted to experienced users rather than ‘newbies’.

Both problems are treatable, and do appear to resolve once the patient has fully ceased use of the drug. I’ll be interested to see what further research reveals as to the causes of this and other unforeseen problems.

Now let’s move on to a more complicated story, one that so far at least, appears to have had a tragic ending:

Family sue rehab centre after former porn star left ‘permanently disabled’

Had to go to a celeb website for the story, since the victim is a 26 year old adult film star. She admitted herself to a luxury rehab in Malibu for treatment of ketamine addiction. According to the source, she had been using 5 or 6 grams of the drug daily, which would suggest she needed to detoxify.

She’d been at the program for a week when she suffered a heart attack. EMT personnel performed CPR for half an hour before she was transferred to a hospital for further care. Lack of oxygen, however, appears to have resulted in what is known as “locked in syndrome” — where the patient is fully conscious but nonetheless unable to move or speak, due to paralysis of her voluntary muscles.

The lawsuit holds the Malibu program responsible for her condition, and seeks heavy damages, no doubt to help pay for care. Because the legal issues are ongoing, we have no information as to the rehab’s position in the dispute. All we know is that at the time of the sentinel event itself, no ketamine or other drugs were found in her system.

Was her near-death related to her previous history of heavy ketamine use? Hopefully the testimony of experts will answer that question.