Australian scientists have issued an urgent warning after detecting a mysterious and potentially dangerous new drug dubbed the ‘cousin of ketamine’.
The substance was spotted by Australian National University scientists at the country’s first pill testing site, CanTEST.
Scientists named the unknown substance ‘CanKet’ as it was found in Canberra and shared similar qualities to ketamine – a horse tranquilliser often used by humans as an illicit party drug.
Scientists from the Australian National University detected a mysterious new recreational drug not seen in Australia before, which they have named ‘CanKet’ (pictured)
Australian National University Professor Malcolm McLeod said someone presented a bag of crystals and powder to be tested after they experienced ‘very different’ effects when using the drug.
‘They told us that they thought it was ketamine but that the effects of the drug were very different to what they expected, so they wanted us to test it,’ McLeod said.
‘But when we tested the substance it was clear it wasn’t ketamine, but rather a ketamine-like substance.
‘Our initial reaction was “Whoa, this is really weird”.We have no idea who made the drug and where it came from, but we now know it’s out there.’
Ketamine, a drug which is taken orally, injected or snorted, can cause a user to enter a state called a ‘K-hole’ – described by ANU scientists as a state of dissociation similar to an out-of-body experience.
Professor McLeod explained making small changes to the toxicologically of a drug results in big effects and warned users of the substance of its unknown outcomes.
‘It’s so new we just don’t have information we can provide to people about this drug,’ McLeod said.
‘Nothing is known about the clinical effects on the consumer, and being something new, we urge caution. You can make quite small changes to a drug and see quite dramatic changes to its effects.’
‘This could have significant psychological effects.’
The new drug, was discovered by scientists at Australia’s first substance testing site in Canberra when a user brought in a sample after experiencing ‘very different’ effects when used (pictured)
Scientists warned anyone buying the ketamine-like product of its unknown outcomes and potential ‘significant psychological effects’ after use
The drug testing site recorded five presentations of the ‘CanKet’ drug since August and has only been identified on two occasions before – once on the Canadian border and frozen fresh mushroom once in a Chinese lab.
Australian National University Associate Professor David Caldicott discovering the ‘cousin of ketamine’ proved CanTEST’s services were ‘invaluable’ to the community.
‘It allows us to iden
