An investigation into an alleged gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity has thrust the illicit use of ketamine into the spotlight, calling attention to the powerful anesthetic’s use on college campuses as a date-rape drug.
The former Cornell student testified before the university’s hearing panel that ketamine made her feel "like her lights were on but no one was home," describing a state of "vague consciousness."
During an Oct. 23 appearance on "Fox & Friends," Dr. Stephanie Widmer, a Fox News contributor and addiction specialist in New York, warned that the drug’s physiological effects can leave people unable to defend themselves or understand their environment.
"When you say the lights are on, but nobody’s home, that’s a pretty good way to describe it," Widmer said. "You can essentially have no awareness of your surroundings."
Ketamine affects NMDA receptors in the brain and can alter vital signs, according to the doctor.
"It can cause profound sedation, and it can cause dissociation, which is essentially the sensation of your brain not really being attached to your body," she said.
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While ketamine has legitimate medical uses — it was used as a battlefield anesthetic during the Vietnam War and remains FDA-approved for general anesthesia — the drug is also abused recreationally at parties, raves and nightclubs.
The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies ketamine as a Schedule III controlled substance and identifies it, alongside Rohypnol and GHB, as a drug that can be used to facilitate sexual assault. The agency says these substances can cause sedation, confusion and memory loss, leaving victims vulnerable.
When asked why ketamine falls into the category of date-rape drugs, Widmer said it can affect both cognitive function and physical awareness.
"There are a number of date-rape drugs that are out there, and ketamine does fall into that category because of what it can do to your sensorium," she added.
Widmer also warned about mixing ketamine with alcohol or other substances, which can compound the drugs’ effects and increase the risk of dangerous sedation and respiratory depression.
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"They’re combining them with other substances, they’re combining them with alcohol, and that can compound the effects of these drugs," she said. "It can cause really profound sedation. It can be incredibly dangerous."
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Widmer said her biggest concern is how parents discuss the dangers of drugs with their children, especially before sending them off to college.
"Everybody knows to say drugs are bad and not to do drugs, and you never know what you’re getting, but really understanding what some of these drugs can do is really important... that they’re not benign and that they can cause dissociation."
