Q. We’ve been hearing lately about using ketamine, a thought that scares me to death. Here’s my story: I was on a gurney about to go for a colonoscopy. The tech person could not find a viable vein in my arms for an IV to put me to sleep.

Ketamine, like other drugs of abuse,has been approved for medical use. But, it is being increasingly abused by individuals worldwide, causing serious health problems and concerns.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distribution of ketamine, according to the signed document filed in federal court in Los Angeles. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to drop three additional counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of falsifying records.

The UK has ketamine problem. Its use increased by 85 per cent between 2023 and 2024. Paul Kenyon investigates the global trade in the drug.

The death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry, who had high levels of ketamine in his system when he died, and the public use by tech billionaire Elon Musk have pushed ketamine into the global spotlight.