Elon Musk Defends Ketamine Use, Cites Impact on Tesla's Investor Value

Elon Musk's Defense of Ketamine Use

Elon Musk recently made headlines by defending his use of the drug ketamine, citing its benefits in alleviating a "negative chemical mind state" and asserting that its usage ultimately benefits investors in Tesla, the electric car company he leads as CEO.

Interview with Don Lemon

Musk made these comments during a contentious hour-long interview with former CNN host Don Lemon. The interview, which was posted on social media, delved into various topics, including Musk's views on race and X's loss of advertisers over alleged antisemitic comments.

Musk's Prescription for Ketamine

During the interview, Musk revealed that he has a physician's prescription for ketamine, a "dissociative anesthetic hallucinogen." He emphasized that he takes it once every other week to manage his mental state when it becomes "super negative."

Impact on Tesla's Value

When questioned about his drug use, Musk defended it by pointing to Tesla's value as a publicly held company, suggesting that taking ketamine has helped him lead the automaker. He emphasized that what matters is execution and highlighted Tesla's significant worth compared to the rest of the car industry.

Market Response

Following the interview, Tesla's shares rose by 5.8% in Monday morning trading, reflecting potential investor confidence in Musk's leadership and the company's future prospects.

Contentious Exchange with Lemon

The interview concluded with testy remarks from Musk over Lemon's questioning of X's free speech policies and the loss of big advertisers. Musk defended X's approach, asserting that the platform wouldn't censor content at the request of advertisers.

Musk's Optimism

Despite the contentious nature of the interview, Musk expressed optimism about the future of the X platform and indicated that advertisers are returning to the social media service.