His death has moved the many fans of the series "Friends" around the world. On October 28, the famous actor Matthew Perry, who played the role of the inimitable Chandler Bing in the cult series, was found dead by his assistant in a jacuzzi at his home in Los Angeles.
Late last week, the Los Angeles County Bureau of Forensic Pathology revealed that his death, which was determined to be "accidental," was largely caused by "the acute effects" of taking ketamine.
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It is a fast-acting anesthetic used in medical or veterinary surgery intramuscularly or intravenously. The Vidal health products reference site specifies that ketamine causes a particular anesthesia, "characterized by deep and prolonged analgesia, a loss of consciousness that results more in a disconnection of the patient than in a real sleep", as well as a "preservation of pharyngeal and laryngeal reflexes".
The "ké" is very present in after-parties
It is these properties, particularly dissociative properties, that appeal to many consumers outside the medical context. Called "Ké" or "Spécial K" in the party world, this molecule developed in the 1960s was initially only known to privileged hippies before being invited much more regularly to many "parties" and rave-parties in recent years.
"It works so that the brain no longer receives nerve messages of pain," says the Canadian government's website, which adds that it "is often used as a date rape drug" because of an effect that dissociates body and mind.
The feeling of detachment, its euphoric effects, hallucination and cottony inebriation that it causes attracts many partygoers, who often use it in addition to other drugs such as ecstasy, especially at the end of the night or in "after" to maximize its effect. Others also use it in chemsex, a practice that involves using drugs to intensify sexual acts.
40 euros per gram
Closely monitored by health authorities, this drug, which cannot be detected by saliva tests, is sold in powder form for around 40 euros per gram in the illegal trade. It is most often eaten inhaled through the nose, but also sometimes mixed in a liquid before being drunk. When healthcare professionals use it, they inject it in liquid form.
Consumption in high doses of ketamine can also lead to a total loss of consciousness and an inability to move called a "K-Hole". Several testimonies even recount the sensation of having experienced near-death experiences (NDEs).
This psychoactive substance can lead to addiction and neuropsychiatric risks, cognitive impairment and regular use can severely affect the bladder and kidneys.