10 most common illegal drugs used around the world – You need to see #1 (With Pictures)

8. Ketamine

Ketamine was originally synthesized to be a replacement for PCP by American pharmacist Calvin Stevens. By 1965, it was discovered to be a powerful anesthetic and was used in minor procedures and in stopping post-operative pain.

Its dissociative properties and quick mode of action led to its use as a recreational drug. Kicking-in in under 10 minutes and with the effects lasting for up to 60 minutes, it quickly became a drug of choice. Since its components don’t require any particularly sophisticated equipment, ketamine and its “legal” analogue, methoxetamine, are easily available.

Though illegal in countries including the USA, UK, India and Canada, it is still widely available on the Internet. Research from the EMCDDA found major ketamine production in the European Union and South China.