A number of state veterinary medical association newsletters continue to alert veterinarians to the teen use of ketamine and the need for adequate security measures in their clinics. Drugs that come under the jurisdiction of the Controlled Substances Act are placed into one of five schedules, according to their medical use, potential for abuse, and potential for addiction. The New Jersey VMA is strongly supportive of classifying ketamine as a schedule III federally controlled drug substance. Veterinarians are required to maintain records of controlled substances received, administered, and dispensed. These efforts are evidence of Congress' willingness to act on new drugs of abuse.
Veterinarians can anticipate continued interest in the scheduling of ketamine.
Ketamine is used to anesthetize a wide range of animal species, so it is a critical element of many veterinary practices. Veterinarians can help discourage the illegal diversion of ketamine by assessing their building security and keeping the drug under lock and key.