CAS 2024 Emerging Addiction Science Seminar: Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Joseph Palamar
As part of the Emerging Addiction Science Seminar Series (Rutgers University Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies), Dr. Joseph Palamar will be giving an in-person presentation titled, “Investigating the Current Ketamine Landscape in the United States” on Thursday, February 8th, 2024 from 12:30-1:30pm EST. Dr. Palamar is an Associate Professor of Population Health at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and Deputy Director of the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS). His research focuses on the epidemiology of use of new psychoactive substances and party drugs both in the general population and in high-risk scenes. In a recent cross-sectional study published by Dr. Palamar and colleagues, findings suggest that seizure of ketamine by law enforcement has increased nearly 350% from 2017 to 2022 in the United States. This exponential increase could indicate increasing rates of nonmedical and recreational use; such use can expose individuals to other substances, including fentanyl, a highly dangerous substance with high potential for overdose. Other related research by Dr. Palamar and colleagues has found that ketamine poisonings in the United States have increased in tandem, according to data from the US National Poison Control. Co-use of ketamine with other substances, such as opioids and gamma-hydroxybutyrate, appeared related to heightened risk for adverse outcomes and death. These data highlight the importance of prevention and intervention efforts to prevent negative outcomes related to increased ketamine use in the US.
DATE: Thursday, February 8th, 12:30-1:30pm EST
References
Palamar, J. J., Fitzgerald, N. D., Grundy, D. J., Black, J. C., Jewell, J. S., & Cottler, L. B. (2023). Characteristics of poisonings involving ketamine in the United States, 2019–2021. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 37(8), 802-808.
Palamar, J. J., Wilkinson, S. T., Carr, T. H., Rutherford, C., & Cottler, L. B. (2023). Trends in Illicit Ketamine Seizures in the US From 2017 to 2022. JAMA Psychiatry, 80(7), 750-751.