China treats pet anaesthetic as strictly as fentanyl after youth abuse spikes
South China Morning Post
China has banned tiletamine, a veterinary anesthetic, following a sharp rise in recreational use among young people.Summary
China has officially classified tiletamine, a common veterinary anesthetic used for pets, as a controlled substance as of July 1. The drug is now regulated with the same level of strictness as fentanyl due to a significant surge in recreational abuse among the youth.
Similar in chemical structure to ketamine, tiletamine has been increasingly used in e-cigarettes to induce dissociative highs, including visual and auditory hallucinations. This trend exploited a previous regulatory gap, leading to widespread use in entertainment venues like nightclubs and bars. Recent data from Shenyang highlights the scale of the issue, with over 1,600 individuals investigated for abuse in a short period.
(Source：South China Morning Post)
