Is ketamine an opioid? Schedule and UK class explained

No. Ketamine is not an opioid. The FDA label for Ketalar describes it as a general anesthetic, and its mechanism section says it is a non-selective, non-competitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Ketamine is still a controlled substance. It is Schedule III in the United States, and in the United Kingdom it is Class B and listed in Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.

What is ketamine?

The label cited here is for KETALAR (ketamine hydrochloride) injection from Par Health USA, published on DailyMed on March 26, 2026. Its Indications section says KETALAR is a general anesthetic indicated as the sole anesthetic agent for diagnostic and surgical procedures that do not require skeletal muscle relaxation, for the induction of anesthesia before other general anesthetic agents, and as a supplement to other anesthetic agents. The Pharmacodynamics section calls ketamine "a rapidly-acting general anesthetic producing a dissociative anesthetic state". This page covers legal status only.

Is ketamine an opioid?

No. The opioid guide explains what the term covers. Ketamine belongs to a different group. The label's Mechanism of Action section names the NMDA receptor, an ionotropic glutamate receptor, as its target, and says that norketamine, its major circulating metabolite, is active at the same receptor with less affinity. The mechanism and pharmacology sections of the label do not mention opioid receptors.

The DEA list points the same way. The NARC column for ketamine reads N, while opioids such as fentanyl carry a Y. The narcotic guide explains why people mix up "narcotic", "opioid" and "controlled substance". By the DEA's marking, ketamine is not a narcotic.

What schedule is ketamine in the US?

The DEA list "Controlled Substances - Alphabetical Order" (dated August 27, 2026) shows ketamine as code 7285, Schedule III, N, with Ketaset and Ketalar among its other names. 21 CFR 1308.13(c)(7) reads "Ketamine, its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers" with the same code. Section 9.1 of the Ketalar label says:

KETALAR contains ketamine, a Schedule III controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act.

Schedule III is the middle of the five federal schedules, and the DEA schedules guide lays out all of them. Schedule III prescriptions follow the same refill rule as Schedule IV. Under 21 CFR 1306.22, none may be filled or refilled more than six months after the date of issue, and none may be refilled more than five times. A practitioner may also administer or dispense these drugs in the course of professional practice without a prescription, subject to 21 CFR 1306.07. Some states add controls of their own, and the state board of pharmacy is the authority on them.

Does the product or brand change the status?

No. The opening of 21 CFR 1308.13(c) covers "any material, compound, mixture, or preparation which contains any quantity" of the listed depressants, and ketamine, its salts, isomers and salts of isomers is on that list. The DEA list also gives Ketaset as another name for it. Whatever the brand on the vial, the federal schedule is the same, and the DEA code stays 7285.

What class of drug is ketamine in the UK?

The Home Office list of commonly encountered controlled drugs (updated April 1, 2025) shows ketamine as Class B, Schedule 2, with no footnote. Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 names ketamine in Part II, the Class B drugs, and the legislation.gov.uk record shows the word was inserted on June 10, 2014, by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Ketamine etc.) (Amendment) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1106). Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 lists ketamine as well, inserted on November 30, 2015, by S.I. 2015/891.

So ketamine has been Class B since 2014, and the Regulations schedule changed later. The class is set by the Act and the schedule by the Regulations, as the UK drug classes guide explains. Penalty bands for Class B are published on gov.uk.

Why is ketamine controlled?

Section 9 of the Ketalar label gives the reasons in its own words. It says individuals with a history of drug abuse or dependence may be at greater risk for abuse and misuse of the drug. It reports that physical dependence and tolerance have been reported with prolonged use of ketamine, and that withdrawal symptoms have been reported after discontinuation of frequently used, large doses over long periods. It also lists memory and attention impairment, liver and bile-duct complications and urological complications as associated with long-term or recurrent high-dose misuse. We do not describe any use outside medical care here.

Is esketamine (Spravato) related?

Yes. Spravato (Janssen Pharmaceuticals, label published on DailyMed on September 24, 2026) contains esketamine, which its Section 9.1 calls the (S)-enantiomer of ketamine and a Schedule III controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act. That label also says esketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist. It lists two indications: treatment-resistant depression in adults, and depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder with acute suicidal ideation or behavior.

Related pages

Other anesthetic and sedating drugs have their own status. Valium (diazepam) is Schedule IV and Class C, and gabapentin is not federally controlled. The controlled substance guide explains how drugs reach a schedule, the method page lists our sources with dates, and the disclaimer explains that this site gives neither medical nor legal advice.

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