The WSAVA has launched a petition to save ketamine from being placed under international scheduling, a move which the association says would prevent those who most need the drug having access to it.

The proposal to schedule ketamine is likely to be considered at the 59th UN Convention on Narcotic Drugs (CND) taking place between now and the 22nd March 2016 in Vienna.

Apparently, the proposal stems from a widespread misconception that ketamine is only a recreational drug. WSAVA argues that it is in fact the only anaesthetic suitable for use in middle and low income countries, and it also has particular value 'in the field' for trauma, traffic and sporting injuries. It is also the common and often only product used for sterilization initiatives - instrumental in the feral dog/cat population and critical for the control of zoonotic diseases, such as rabies.

To sign the petition, visit: http://chn.ge/1RFSou6. You can also share the petition post on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WSAVA/.

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