Ketamine was one of the many topics discussed in a contentious interview released this week between former CNN host Don Lemon and billionaire X owner Elon Musk.
Lemon’s hour-long interview with Musk was released Monday for for the debut of “The Don Lemon Show” on X. After the interview, Lemon, who was fired by CNN in 2023, revealed that Musk decided to cancel a partnership between his show and X.
Early in the interview, Lemon asked Musk if he was “sober” when he posts “controversial stuff” on X. Lemon also questioned Musk on his use of ketamine to treat depression.
“It’s pretty private to ask somebody about a medical prescription,” Musk replied, saying ketamine is helpful for getting him out of a “negative frame of mind.”
Lemon followed up by asking Musk if he ever abuses ketamine. Musk denied doing so and said he takes a “small amount once every other week.”
Musk is not the only celebrity who has used ketamine. Actor Matthew Perry was using ketamine under the care of a physician for the treatment of depression, although the levels of ketamine in his system at the time of his death in October weren’t related to his last infusion. Other celebrities who have used the substance include Chrissy Teigen and Sharon Osborne.
What is ketamine, and is it dangerous to use? Here’s what you should know.
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What is ketamine?
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
It binds to the NDMA receptors and is essentially a “stop” signal. It starts to interfere with the connection between your brain and your body.
The effects are dose-dependent, but it generally leads to a “disconnected” feeling from you, your person – and your body. Symptoms range from unconsciousness, (like when used in general anesthesia) to an “out of body” experience or hallucinations.
Is ketamine legal?
Ketamine is a legal medication that’s used for many medical purposes. It is approved as a medical product as an injectable, short-acting anesthetic for use in humans and animals, the DEA says, and as a nasal spray to help treat depression.
However, most of the ketamine distributed in the U.S. is done so illegally, per the DEA. It’s often diverted or stolen from legitimate sources like veterinary clinics, or smuggled into the country, the agency says.
Dr. Ryan Marino, a Medical Toxicologist, Emergency Medicine Physician, and Associate Professor at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland previously told USA TODAY that ketamine is considered a general anesthetic, but can be used for many different medical purposes.
“Ketamine was primarily developed for anesthesia for surgical procedures, and it is still used for that indication today. It is also used as a general sedative – so for people who are on ventilators or if they have some other kind of critical illness and need continuous medication for comfort and sedation.”
He added that it’s also used in the emergency department for some minor procedures like reducing fractures and dislocations.
Ketamine is classified as a Schedule III drug by the DEA, which denotes substances “with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.”
The Food and Drug Administration issued a notice in October 2023 that ketamine has not been approved for treatment of psychiatric disorders.
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Is ketamine an opioid?
Ketamine is not an opioid.
Ketamine works by suppressing glutamate signaling in your brain, while opioids ”hijack” your endogenous (naturally occurring) opioid system.
Contributing: Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY.
First appeared on www.usatoday.com