Elon Musk has revealed that he uses ketamine. The entrepreneur explained that he takes the substance under medical prescription and that this practice is «in the best interest of the investors» of Tesla and other companies he leads. In an interview with former CNN anchor Don Lemon, Musk added that what matters to Wall Street is «execution, so from an investor's standpoint, if I'm taking something I should continue to do so».
In recent months, the Wall Street Journal had reported that managers at Tesla and SpaceX were concerned about Musk's use of recreational drugs. The billionaire responded that he had always passed all drug tests.
«There are times when my brain is in a negative chemical state similar to depression» and ketamine relieves it, Musk explained. «It helps me get out of negativity. I don't think I've abused it: I work 16 hours a day and there are no situations where I can afford to be out of commission», the billionaire added, noting that he had previously talked about his use of ketamine on X to help others.
What Musk Said
In the lengthy interview with Lemon, Musk recounted his recent meeting with Donald Trump in Florida («I was at a friend's house for breakfast and he came over. He didn't ask me for donations and I won't be paying his legal bills») and expressed being «optimistic» about the future of X. «Advertising revenues are increasing, as are subscription revenues», he highlighted, reiterating his aspiration to make life «multi-planetary».
Among Musk's numerous challenges is that of artificial intelligence. The billionaire, as promised, has made his chatbot Grok, rival to ChatGPT, open source, intensifying the clash with OpenAI, which he sued for betraying its original mission. By making the code open to all, Musk further fuels the already intense debate on artificial intelligence, confirming with facts his belief: that such an important technology as artificial intelligence should not be controlled solely by giants like Google and Microsoft, which is a partner of OpenAI.
What is Ketamine
Synthesized in 1962 as an anesthetic and analgesic drug, the ketamine which Elon Musk said he uses based on periodic prescription by a doctor is still used today to induce and maintain anesthesia, both in medicine and veterinary, and recent studies indicate it as an effective drug against forms of depression that do not respond to traditional therapies, provided it is administered under strict medical supervision, also due to the serious risks related to the interaction with certain drugs. It is indeed a substance that at certain dosages can have psychedelic effects.
In the 70s it became one of the most popular drugs in hippy communities for its psychedelic effects and low cost and later became one of the substances of the "high" in raves. This happens because ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, that is, it gives the sensation of separating the mind from the body. For this reason, at high doses it can cause hallucinations and the sensation of entering another reality, with the consequent risk of an ever greater detachment from reality. Exceeding a minimum dosage can be very dangerous. For example, very fragile personalities can fall into real psychoses. In addition, continuous use also leads to physical disorders, such as difficulty in digesting and urinating, memory problems.
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