Methoxetamine: Prevalence of use in the USA and UK and associated urinary problems

Abstract

Background: Methoxetamine is a novel psychoactive substance and a legal alternative to ketamine in many countries, including parts of the United States. Frequent recreational ketamine use can cause lower urinary tract symptoms, whereas methoxetamine was originally marketed as "bladder friendly".Aims: (1) To determine changes in prevalence of methoxetamine use between 2011 and 2012 in the USA and UK and (2) to investigate the prevalence of urinary symptoms in group of methoxetamine users, who had also used ketamine at least once in their lifetime.Methods: Cross-sectional, anonymous online surveys exploring patterns of drug use were conducted in late 2011 (n = 15 200) and late 2012 (n = 22 289..