Elon Musk's Ketamine Use—What We Know

Elon Musk's ketamine use has become a talking point after it was revealed that his social media platform has severed business ties with Don Lemon's new show—which is set to feature an interview in which the SpaceX CEO is asked about the drug.

Former CNN host Lemon, who was ousted from the network last April, announced in January that he would be launching The Don Lemon Show on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that was acquired by billionaire Musk in 2022.

However, Lemon revealed in a video shared to X on Wednesday that the partnership had been called off following a tense interview with the entrepreneur intended for the show's debut episode, which remains in place for Monday.

"Elon Musk is mad at me," Lemon said in the clip, in which he explained that the deal was off, while he charged that Musk's commitment to "free speech absolutism" faltered when it came to the SpaceX boss facing tough questions. He said that his show would air on multiple platforms, including YouTube and X, adding that the sole change is "my relationship to Musk and X."

Following the announcement, Musk said in an X post that Lemon was welcome to launch his show on the platform "without censorship." However, he claimed that Lemon's "approach was basically just 'CNN, but on social media,' which doesn't work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying.

"And, instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just [former CNN president] Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity. All this said, Lemon/Zucker are of course welcome to build their viewership on this platform along with everyone else."

Early Thursday, Musk alleged in an X post that "Zucker wrote the questions" for his interview with Musk.

Ketamine Claims

On Wednesday evening, Lemon made an appearance on CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront, where he previewed a part of his interview with Musk in which he asked the tech mogul about his use of ketamine. Musk legally takes ketamine to treat depression. However, The Wall Street Journal reported in June of last year that Musk also takes the drug recreationally, which is illegal.

Alex Spiro, an attorney for Musk, said at the time that Musk is "regularly and randomly drug tested at SpaceX and has never failed a test."

During his interview with Musk, Lemon brought up his "ketamine use and depression," prompting the South African-born businessman to interject: "The reason I mentioned ketamine [as a] prescription on the X platform was because I thought maybe this is something that could help other people. That's why I mentioned it.

"Also, I'm not a doctor, but I would say if someone has depression issues, they should consider talking to their doctor about ketamine instead of SSRIs [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors]."

In an X post shared back in August, Musk stated that he had "serious concerns about SSRIs, as they tend to zombify people. Occasional use of Ketamine is a much better option, in my opinion. I have a prescription for when my brain chemistry sometimes goes super negative."

During his Wednesday appearance on CNN, Lemon said that he would not have brought up Musk's ketamine use had he not posted about it on X.

"Also it's no secret," Lemon continued. "His drug use, or alleged drug use, I should say, has been extensively written about by very credible news organizations like The Wall Street Journal. I asked him that and he said, 'Listen, I have not read The Wall Street Journal, I don't read The Wall Street Journal. I don't have time to read about everything that people write about me. I would never get anything done."

"But also, if we remember, on Joe Rogan he took a puff of marijuana," Lemon said of Musk's 2018 interview with the powerhouse podcaster. "And he said it was just a joke and [he] only took one puff. Elon Musk is responsible for satellites, for Starlink. He's responsible for Tesla. He's responsible for a number of different companies on the stock market. And I think that it is important for people to understand his mindset, whether he's using drugs legally or not."

Lemon also touched upon reports that claims regarding Musk's alleged drug use could lead to him losing his Pentagon security clearance.

The broadcaster said that he asked Musk "if he was concerned about another Biden admin. One reason I wanted to ask him those questions was if he was going to lose his security clearance because of that, or he might be in jeopardy of losing his security clearance. And he said no... He did say to me, 'I do not use drugs illegally. I have random drug tests and I have always passed those drug tests.'"

Newsweek has contacted representatives of Musk and Lemon via email for comment.

Don Lemon's Statement

In a written statement posted to X on Wednesday, Lemon spoke further about his severed commercial deal with Musk.

He said that Musk "informed me of his decision hours after an interview I conducted with him on Friday."

"There were no restrictions on the interview that he willingly agreed to, and my questions were respectful and wide ranging, covering everything from SpaceX to the presidential election," he said. "We had a good conversation. Clearly he felt differently. His commitment to a global town square where all questions can be asked and all ideas can be shared seems to not include questions of him from people like me."

Also in the statement, Lemon said Musk had "publicly encouraged" him to join X with a new show. He claimed that Musk assured him of his "full support" and stated that his "digital town square is for all."

Stating that he decided to work with Musk as it would ensure his work was seen by a wide audience, he added: "I took Elon and his management team's word that they, for the first time, were interested in working directly with new and diverse voices."

What Is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a versatile medicine and perhaps the most widely used anesthetic in the world. First marketed in the 1970s, the drug is also used for analgesia, or pain relief. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists ketamine as an essential medicine.

Ketamine is safer to administer than other anesthetics and pain relief drugs because it does not depress breathing or lower blood pressure. It also does not require expensive patient-monitoring equipment.

According to the WHO, the drug's high level of safety make it "indispensable" for surgery in low- and middle-income countries, disaster zones and conflict areas where anesthesiologists may not be available and where running water, electricity and oxygen supplies are not easily accessible.

In recent years, researchers have been investigating the drug's potential for the treatment of mental health conditions, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.

Ketamine induces a sense of disassociation and disembodiment. Given its dissociative effects, it is also a commonly abused recreational drug.

The side effects of ketamine depend on several factors, including the type of drug (medical or recreational) and the dose, as well as a person's age and health status. Side effects may include nausea or vomiting, dizziness, muscle spasms or stiffness, urinary problems, confusion, heart-related problems, seizures, hallucinations and difficulty breathing.