Ketamine: legal

Legal status varies by jurisdiction — this is general information, not legal advice, and it does not tell you what applies where you live.

Ketamine is not under international control: the 1971 Convention deliberately left it unscheduled because control would have restricted medical access [1]. It remains an essential medicine used for anaesthesia and pain control, and esketamine is licensed for anaesthesia and treatment-resistant depression [1].

Domestic law is a different matter and doesn't follow the international position. In the UK, ketamine is Class B under the Misuse of Drugs Act and Schedule 2 under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations, having been reclassified up from Class C in 2014 [1]; a review recommended it stay in Class B rather than move [1]. In the US, it's Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act — a schedule that reflects an assessment of lower abuse potential than Schedule I or II drugs, alongside accepted medical use [2].

If you're carrying or travelling with ketamine, check current local law.

References

1. Ketamine: an updated review of use and harms (accessible) — UK Government (Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs)
2. Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of Ketamine into Schedule III — Federal Register (Drug Enforcement Administration)