Occasional and Continuous Ketamine Users: Consumption Rules and Harm Reduction Strategies

Objectives: To describe the phenomenology of ketamine use; to identify feared/unwanted consequences due to the use of ketamine; to identify any common ketamine consumption rules. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 48 (31.3% female) substance users living in Ita...

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Main Author: Raimondo Pavarin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Milano University Press 2024-11-01
Series:Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/ebph/article/view/26983
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author Raimondo Pavarin
author_facet Raimondo Pavarin
author_sort Raimondo Pavarin
collection DOAJ
description Objectives: To describe the phenomenology of ketamine use; to identify feared/unwanted consequences due to the use of ketamine; to identify any common ketamine consumption rules. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 48 (31.3% female) substance users living in Italy with recent use of ketamine (last 12 months) and who have never referred to an Addiction Service. Results: From the results aspects emerge related to particular strategies implemented by interviewees to reduce the impact of ketamine consumption on their health, in everyday life and within social relationships: 1) ketamine consumption and purchase were primarily based on friendship networks and trusted relationships; 2) techniques of camouflage were adopted to keep the consumer status secret; 3) artisan controls to verify the quality of the substances were common; 4) general consumption rules were implemented to avoid unwanted consequences due to the use of ketamine. Conclusions: The control of ketamine consumption is a complex practice that includes various aspects related not only to the knowledge of the substance, to the dosing-related harm reduction strategies, to the consumption setting, and to the consumer’s psycho-physical state, but also to the choice of people to buy from and consume with.
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spelling doaj-art-af4a2e20fd49468b8aee7fbdc6563f742025-08-20T02:08:36ZengMilano University PressEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health2282-09302024-11-0119210.54103/2282-0930/26983Occasional and Continuous Ketamine Users: Consumption Rules and Harm Reduction StrategiesRaimondo Pavarin0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1403-3148University of Bologna Objectives: To describe the phenomenology of ketamine use; to identify feared/unwanted consequences due to the use of ketamine; to identify any common ketamine consumption rules. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 48 (31.3% female) substance users living in Italy with recent use of ketamine (last 12 months) and who have never referred to an Addiction Service. Results: From the results aspects emerge related to particular strategies implemented by interviewees to reduce the impact of ketamine consumption on their health, in everyday life and within social relationships: 1) ketamine consumption and purchase were primarily based on friendship networks and trusted relationships; 2) techniques of camouflage were adopted to keep the consumer status secret; 3) artisan controls to verify the quality of the substances were common; 4) general consumption rules were implemented to avoid unwanted consequences due to the use of ketamine. Conclusions: The control of ketamine consumption is a complex practice that includes various aspects related not only to the knowledge of the substance, to the dosing-related harm reduction strategies, to the consumption setting, and to the consumer’s psycho-physical state, but also to the choice of people to buy from and consume with. https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/ebph/article/view/26983substance useketamineconsumption rulesharm reduction strategies
spellingShingle Raimondo Pavarin
Occasional and Continuous Ketamine Users: Consumption Rules and Harm Reduction Strategies
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health
substance use
ketamine
consumption rules
harm reduction strategies
title Occasional and Continuous Ketamine Users: Consumption Rules and Harm Reduction Strategies
title_full Occasional and Continuous Ketamine Users: Consumption Rules and Harm Reduction Strategies
title_fullStr Occasional and Continuous Ketamine Users: Consumption Rules and Harm Reduction Strategies
title_full_unstemmed Occasional and Continuous Ketamine Users: Consumption Rules and Harm Reduction Strategies
title_short Occasional and Continuous Ketamine Users: Consumption Rules and Harm Reduction Strategies
title_sort occasional and continuous ketamine users consumption rules and harm reduction strategies
topic substance use
ketamine
consumption rules
harm reduction strategies
url https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/ebph/article/view/26983
work_keys_str_mv AT raimondopavarin occasionalandcontinuousketamineusersconsumptionrulesandharmreductionstrategies