Why Cornell fraternity rape allegations are raising new questions about the sedative ketamine

Prosecutors in central New York announced this week that they're reopening the investigation of a former Cornell University student who filed a lawsuit contending she was drugged with ketamine and other substances before she was raped by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024.

The renewed scrutiny on the case, and the Ivy League university's initial investigation of the woman's assault claims, has raised new questions about ketamine, a powerful anesthetic with hallucinogenic effects on some users.

Here's what to know about ketamine, its legal and illegal uses, and the risks associated with it.

What is ketamine?

Ketamine, an injectable, short-acting anesthetic for use in humans and animals, is authorized in the United States for anesthesia but is often used off-label for depression, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

The drug distorts perceptions of sight and sound and makes the user feel disconnected and not in control, the DEA said.

Federal authorities refer to ketamine as a "dissociative anesthetic" because it makes users feel detached from their pain and environment, often inducing a state of sedation, immobility or memory loss.

"A key thing to understand about ketamine is that it's a sedative drug, intended for use in animals, that has become more and more recreationally used by people wanting to numb physical and emotional pain," said Adam Birkenstock, director of programming at the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. "It can cause a loss of control and serious dissociation. It leaves users unable to respond effectively to danger, to perceive reality quickly and accurately, and coordinate movements."

Is ketamine legal?

Ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance — the same category as codeine, anabolic steroids and testosterone — meaning it has legitimate medical use, as well as the risk of psychological dependence.

Ketamine therapy is legal in the United States when prescribed by a physician and has accepted medical uses for short-term sedation and anesthesia, according to federal authorities.

In 2019, the FDA also approved a ketamine nasal spray known as Spravato for treatment-resistant depression.

The Trump administration and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. also announced plans to fast-track clinical trials to allow patients struggling with serious mental health issues to be treated with psychedelics such as MDMA, known as ecstasy or molly.

What is alleged to have happened at Cornell involving ketamine?

The woman, who has not been publicly identified, filed a lawsuit on Sept. 16 alleging she was sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024 after being pressured into snorting ketamine, smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol. The woman said she became completely incapacitated while seven fraternity members were sexually assaulting her, the lawsuit alleges.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten did not initially bring criminal charges against any of the men but reopened the criminal investigation after details from the lawsuit emerged.

"Federal authorities have identified ketamine among substances used by perpetrators of sexual assault," the state Health Department said in a statement. "There are several approved Rape Crisis Programs through the state that can provide supportive services to survivors of sexual violence."

How prevalent is ketamine use on Long Island?

Jeffrey Reynolds, president and chief executive of the Garden City-based Family & Children’s Association, which provides drug treatment services, said ketamine is seen most often as a party drug among young people.

Ketamine, sometimes known as Special K, Super K or Vitamin K, has addictive properties, Reynolds said, most often with other drugs or alcohol.

"Locally, we see ketamine use almost exclusively among young people, generally in a partylike atmosphere and often in combination with other drugs and/or alcohol," Reynolds said. "There's also a really good chance — given the dynamics of today's drug supply and bathtub chemistry — that what they think is ketamine might be something else or a combination of drugs."

How often do people overdose from ketamine?

Between July 2019 and June 2023, ketamine was identified in less than 1% of all drug overdose deaths, most of which also involved illegally manufactured fentanyl, methamphetamine or cocaine, according to a 2024 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ketamine was the only drug involved in just 24 deaths during that time period, the data shows.

Ketamine was detected in approximately 60 cases — or 1.4% — of fatal overdose cases in New York State in 2024, according to the state Health Department, adding that the drug may have been only a contributing factor in some of the fatalities. 

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.