Ketamine and DUI

Ketamine is a powerful anesthetic which can cause significant effects on a person's ability to drive safely and legally. When a person drives under the influence of Ketamine while on Georgia roads, he or she faces significant criminal penalties as the result of a DUI Drug charge.

If you or someone you care about faces charges of driving under the influence (DUI) in Georgia, an experienced Cherokee County DUI attorney is here to defend your case and protect your rights.

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine is categorized as a "dissociative anesthetic." This drug can cause a person to feel detached from sensations or his or her surroundings. Those under the influence of Ketamine often describe feeling as though they are floating outside of their body.

Use as Medicine

Ketamine is most commonly used in veterinary medicine but is also used in humans to induce and maintain general anesthesia before, during, and after surgery. It is typically injected into a muscle through a needle, or given to a patient by way of an intravenous (IV) line.

It is also used in hospital settings to prevent certain types of epileptic seizures that can lead to brain damage and death. It is currently being researched for its use as an anti-depressant and for treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The use of Ketamine to treat depression is still considered largely "off-label" and there are serious limitations to its use for that purpose.

Common Street Names

Ketamine is often used recreationally and as a drug of abuse. Street names for the drug include:

• KitKat;
• Special K;
• Vitamin K;
• Cat Valium;
• Purple;
• Super K;
• Jet; and
• The horse tranquilizer.

On the street it is often ingested by:

• taking as a pill;
• snorting;
• smoking with tobacco or marijuana; or
• it can be mixed into drinks.

Effects of Ketamine

Ketamine can have a significant impact on a person's ability to drive, leading to the high likelihood of an arrest and prosecution for a Georgia DUI Drug. 

Effects include, but are not limited to:

• Changes in perceptions of sound or color;
• Drowsiness;
• Hallucinations, delirium, and confusion;
• Dissociation from a person's body or sense of self;
• Difficulty thinking or retaining information;
• Agitation;
• Nausea;
• Inability to control eye movements;
• Dilated pupils;
• Slurred speech;
• Amnesia;
• Slow heartbeat;
• Vomiting; and 
• Behavioral changes.

Those under the influence of Ketamine can have problems with their coordination, judgment, and physical senses for up to 24 hours. This long effect period can significantly affect a person's ability to drive.

Field Sobriety Tests

When a person is under the influence of drugs, law enforcement cannot test for it using a roadside breathalyzer. Instead, officers rely on their own observations as well as field sobriety tests such as:

• the walk and turn test;
• the one leg stand tests; and
• the horizontal gaze nystagmus test.

These tests are incredibly faulty in how they are administered, and even in the "science" behind them. You can challenge the accuracy of these "tests" as well as the officer's observations to present a defense to the charges against you.

Consult an Experienced Cherokee County DUI Attorney

Ketamine use can lead to a DUI charge, but with the help of an experienced Cherokee County DUI Attorney, you can defend your case to protect your constitutional rights. Contact us today for a free consultation.