An autopsy report released by the Los Angeles County medical examiner on Friday said the death of “Friends” actor Matthew Perry, who was found face down and unresponsive in a hot tub at his home on Oct. 28, resulted from the “acute effects” of ketamine, an anesthetic with psychedelic properties.
Ketamine has become increasingly popular as a therapy for treatment-resistant depression and other mental health issues. It is also used recreationally.
Mr. Perry had publicly acknowledged his long struggle with alcohol and drug use, but the report said he had been sober for 19 months and little was known about his relationship to ketamine.
What is ketamine, and is it legal?
Ketamine is an injectable, short-acting dissociative anesthetic that can have hallucinogenic effects at certain doses. It distorts perceptions of sight and sound and makes users feel detached from pain and their surroundings.
Developed as a battlefield anesthetic in the 1960s, ketamine has been legal since 1970 for use in both people and animals. It is frequently used as an anesthetic for children, especially in the developing world.
But the psychiatric use of ketamine is still unapproved and unregulated, although it is increasingly used off label for treating depression, suicidal ideation and chronic pain.
