KS (Drug)

KS, more properly known as 覺醒 (각성), and also known by its street names of KS, Haze, Smoke, Trace, and others, is a relatively new street drug that has been spreading through Seoul and its satellite cities. There are rumours of the drug being present in other parts of South Korea as well. It has both effects of a stimulant and a narcotic depending on the user experience, and is most commonly smoked, inhaled, snorted, or injected. Mental effects can include a detachment from reality, an intense feeling of being untouchable, and possible agitation. Physical effects include dilated pupils, increased heart rate, and either a sharp rise or drop in body temperature. The effects of KS are rather fast, generally setting in within a minute via snorting and inhalation or smoking, and around within five minutes from injection or oral administering. This speed is regardless of whether the taker is a human or non-human, being one of the reasons why KS is rapidly increasing in popularity in both human and yokwe worlds. KS is not approved for any type of medical usage -- in fact, very little is known about it at all. lacking information regarding origin, composition, reasons for distributions, et cetera.

KS is known to be quite addictive due to the extreme sense of power or self-assuredness it can provide. Notably, it has a somewhat different effect on the individual who takes it, making the drug incredibly hard to accurately track. On top of that, the effects differ between human and yokwe takers. However, one notable trait that shows in human KS users is a development in obsessive behaviors regarding religion or divinity, and prolongued usage can result in a notable megalomania and extreme delusions of being "super human", and in the worst case scenario, a need for 'release' from the human's own body, which often results in suicide. While some of these traits are similar to grandiose delusions brought on by other normal drugs, KS appears to have a specific fixation on supernatural or religious powers, regardless of the taker's religious orientation or affiliations. KS is not currently known to require higher dosages to become more effective, as it seems to bypass the body building up any resistance to it; however, individuals may end up taking more due to their need to feel more of its effects. Currently, it is unknown what KS is made out of, or how it actively affects the body. In fact, traces of KS appear to disappear completely from the body after some period of time.

Composition
KS appears as a solid at room temperature, generally in the form of a crystalline substance that is either distributed in chunks or as a fine powder. As a solid, it is usually a dark red, or near-black purple/blue, or a mix of these colors. In a pure compound, it is always translucent and crystal-like. It melts at a temperature of 37.4°C into a relatively clear liquid, though some report they can "see things in it". It is unknown if this is a true phenomenon, or if the visions are preemptively triggered by the fumes. It becomes gaseous at a temperature of 73.4°C. Due to the rather low melting temperatures of the compound, it is incredibly easy to destroy evidence of the drug, and users must be careful to store it safely so it does not accidentally melt away.

Once it is melted or taken into the body, it does not return back to a solid state; instead, it seems to evaporate or dissipate away, becoming untraceable by the general eye of humans and even many yokwe, requiring those with a very high perception or eyesight to be able to see any evidence of KS presence or usage. Those with high perception will also be able to detect a faint trace of divinity or otherwise some supernatural nature from a pure compound of KS.

Pure compunds of KS appear translucent and crystal-like. Impure compounds often appear foggy or muddy, with a noted opaqueness in the crystals. Powder-form, especially fine powder KS has a higher likelihood of being impure, as the small pieces become easier to disguise as a pure mix in comparison to larger crystal chunks. When melted, impure compounds also appear a little muddy and even colored; some even liken impure, melted, red KS to blood.

Distribution
Distribution of KS is incredibly sparse and it is known to be a rare drug, although its presence has been slowly been making itself known in the Seoul and Gyeonggi area. It is not a publicly available drug, and it seems only possible to receive through a limited number of street suppliers rather than through any major drug trafficking business (although small samples of KS may find themselves in their batches, mixed in with the others).

So far, its presence has been found in Bucheon, Gwangju, Hanam, and Gwacheon of Gyeonggi province. Within the Seoul area, its presence has either been confirmed or suspected in numerous areas, mostly of the central-southern areas such as Guro, Gangnam, Seongdong, and Yongsan.

Recreational Uses
KS is a powerful drug of unknown origins, with its most baffling symptoms being that it can be both a stimulant and narcotic, but not simultaneously. Its effects can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on purity and amount taken, as well as the method of administration. It is reported to be somewhat bitter to the taste, but not unpleasant and has a unique 'lull' to it.

KS usage typically leads to increased sensitivity, changes in heart rate, feelings of well-being (either via adrenaline rush or numbness) and euphoria, and increased feelings of competence and/or sexuality. It also results in a potent feeling of 'floating', and feeling as if one is above petty matters around them.

Inhalation
Inhalation of KS fumes, or smoking the compound is one of several methods of administering the drug. The onset of effects is relatively quick with inhalation, even capable of reaching a high within seconds with this method. However, inhalation also typically results in a short high, although concentrated (+/- 20-30 minutes, on average). KS can either be inhaled as a vapor when the boiling temperature is reached via heating, or the crystals can be bundled up in a joint and smoked, although this is generally not recommended by most as the crystals may fall out unless very well-rolled. Another method is to use a glass pipe, melting and boiling the crystals within its chassis. The end of the pipe is heated with a flame to eventually produce vapor, which is then inhaled through the mouthpiece. Most users prefer the usage of a pipe, as it results in the least waste.

When exhaled, KS fumes tend to come out as a vaguely colored smoke of the color that the crystal originally came as. Unusual to most drugs, there is very little physical consequence over inhalation of KS for short-term users, although it is possible that the heat eventually causes damage to the lungs over long periods of time. However, this is not a trait specific to KS, rather than a general symptom of all smoked drugs.

Insufflation
Insufflation, otherwise known as nasal administration, snorting, sniffing, or blowing, is another possible method of administering KS. In order to do this, KS must be in a fine powdered form. Once taken in through the nasal cavity, the drug adheres to and is absorbed through the thin membranes lining the insides of the nasal cavity. It is the second fastest method to inhalation, with a slightly longer lasting effect (+/-30 minutes to 2 hours). The general high first comes from what is absorbed through the nasal cavity, with a "chase" coming via remaining powder in the nose being ingested through trickling down into the throat and swallowing, like a runny nose.

Though insufflation is considered effective, it is very common for users to have an short, but unusually severe nosebleed not long after administering. It typically lasts about or less than a minute, but the severity is reminescent to that of a open wound more than the average nosebleed.

Injection
By far, the most effective method of KS administration, but also the most dangerous, is via injection. Via injection, individuals report a feeling as if "sinking" slowly into the high, becoming gradually more and more agitated or lethargic depending on the symptoms. Although onset is slow, injection also results in the longest high (usually an hour to several hours, depending on amount used). However, because the onset is so slow, injection also results in the highest risk of an overdose as individuals may feel restless or wonder why the high isn't coming yet and attempt to inject more.

Short Term
Short term effects of KS are those that generally appear over sparse usage, being very occasional uses with pauses in between, and also define effects that typically go away with or a few hours or days after the high. Some common short term effects include: Post refers to symptoms that are specific to appearing after the high has worn off. However, traces of other symptoms may show themselves even after the high.
 * Feelings of well-being or euphoria
 * Dilated pupils
 * Changed heart rate
 * Itching (During & Post)
 * Extreme fatigue (Post)
 * Sharp temperature rise or drop
 * Detachment from reality
 * Sleep deprivation (During & Post)
 * Bizarre behavior
 * Panic and psychosis
 * Visual and auditory hallucinations
 * Feelings of superiority or being superhuman (humans only)
 * Obsessive behaviors regarding religion or divinity (humans only)

With KS, visual hallucinations are common, along with gradually increasing auditory distortions; though this is similar to effects of certain other drugs, in the case of KS, the visual and auditory distortions almost always have something to do with power, divinity, or the otherwise supernatural. Users may report hearing hissing voices and translucent shadows appearing in their vision, who they almost always indicate as being someone of supernatural status or a divine being.

Long Term
With repeated usage of KS over a long period of time, more severe symptoms will begin to show. Some long-term effects of KS include: Long term effects stack on top of short-term effects during a high.
 * Severe insomnia
 * Loss of appetite and weight
 * Lasting paranoia and hallucinations even when not high
 * Chronic hypo- or hyperthermia
 * Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
 * Delusional parasitosis
 * Small physical changes, such as developing fang-like teeth, change in eye color, developing a distorted aura, etc. (humans only)
 * Megalomania present even when not high
 * Regular delusions of being "super human" (humans only)
 * Need for 'release' from mortal body, possibly even resulting in suicide (humans only)

Addiction, Dependency, & Withdrawal
Like many other street drugs, KS has an addictive quality that increases exponentially. However, the reasons for the addiction are unclear, as KS leaves little if not no trace at all in the body after the high, completely disappearing; as such, the reasons for addiction are presumed to be entirely based on psychological dependency. Addiction levels are low in the first few times of using, or if KS is used very sparsely and with at least a few days' break in between. However, regular users of KS will feel their dependency grow at a rapid pace after the first few days, eventually feeling as if intake of KS is the key to survival and will "release" them from their "weak bodies".

Though withdrawal symptoms are not present in the early stages or for extremely sparse users, they can be severe in the case of regular abusers. If not able to get their fix, severe addicts may resort to extremely risky, destructive, or violent behavior in an attempt to retrieve more of the drug, and even engage in self-destructive manners and behavior. Spirals of self-hatred and low self-worth are common, and individuals may go out of their way to fulfill vices in an attempt to feel better. Visual hallucinations and auditory distortions may become more and more common in an unpleasant way, going from soft whispering to sharp hissing, cursing, or laughing, as well as a feeling of being damned.