Ketamine’s role in alleged Cornell rape highlights flood of psychoactive drugs on campus

A former Cornell student, Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit in September 2026 alleging that seven fraternity members raped her at a party after pressuring her to take the drug ketamine.

Ketamine is a synthetic chemical first synthesized in 1962 and approved by the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a general anesthetic in 1970.

It has been used recreationally since the 1970s, often sold under street names like 'K,' 'Ket,' or 'Vitamin K.' The drug can cause dissociation, an altered state of consciousness where a person feels detached from their surroundings, and at high doses, it may induce a coma.

Ketamine is odorless and colorless, making it easy to slip into a drink unnoticed.

Its effects begin within 20 minutes if taken orally or almost immediately if inhaled or injected, lasting less than an hour but impairing judgment and coordination for several hours.