Raja Krishnamoorthi

09/30/2024 | Press release | Archived content

Congressman Krishnamoorthi Sends Letter to ONDCP Director Concerning Administration’s Efforts to Combat Rise of Illicit Sales and Use of Oral and At-Home Ketamine

SCHAUMBURG, IL- CongressmanRaja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) sent a letter to Rahul Gupta, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, expressing concern over the increasing number of for-profit companies and untrained providers exploiting vulnerable patients by making self-injectable and oral ketamine readily accessible.

Healthcare providers, law enforcement, and substance abuse experts are presenting rapidly growing evidence that the early warning signs seen at the onset of the opioid crisis are now emerging for illicit ketamine use

In the letter, Congressman Krishnamoorthi requests Director Gupta to provide answers on six questions on how the Administration plans on addressing the growing issue of illicit ketamine use and distribution:

  1. Does the Administration have a strategy to combat the distribution and sale of illicit self-administered oral and IV ketamine?
  2. Which agencies are involved in combating illicit use of ketamine?
  3. How are federal, state and local law enforcement agencies coordinating enforcement?
  4. Are there rules and guidelines for providers prescribing self-administered ketamine
  5. How are you tracking the use/misuse of ketamine and what agencies are involved?
  6. What are the rules, laws, and penalties for non-physicians prescribing, monitoring, or administering oral and IV ketamine, both at home and in office?

The full letter can be viewed here.