United States: Ketamine has been a contentious topic since CNN host Don Lemon and billionaire X owner Elon Musk’s interview.
Know more about Ketamine
Ketamine is a drug having dissociative anesthetic properties with some hallucinogenic effects, as stated by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
It is the agonist to NDMA receptors, therefore an inhibitory signaller. It begins to intervene with the communication between your brain and your body, USA Today reported.
The effects appear to be dose-dependent, but, in general, it usually ends up feeling disconnected from your person, your body, and even yourself.
The symptoms range from unconsciousness (as can happen when it is used as an anesthesia) to hallucinations and an “out of body” feeling.
About the Legality of Ketamine
Ketamine is a legal drug designated for all kinds of medical purposes. The DEA approves it as an injectable anesthetic, which acts for a short period of anesthetic in humans and animals. It is used also as a nasal spray to address depression.
Ironically enough, the majority of the Ketamine that is officially distributed in the US happens to be done so illicitly, according to the DEA. It is either diverted or stolen from rightful sources like clinics and smuggled into the country.
Various usages of the drug
As a Medical Toxicologist, Emergency Medicine Physician, and Associate Professor at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, Dr. Ryan Marino previously explained that Ketamine can be considered a general anesthetic, but it can serve many other medical goals, as USA Today reported.
According to USA Today reports, Marino said, “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.”
On the other hand, Ketamine got categorized by the DEA as a Schedule III drug, which is considered to be a substance possessing a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence by an individual.
It is even more that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has never claimed this Ketamine drug can cure Psychiatric sicknesses.
More about the Controversial Elon Musk’s interview
The one hour-long interview of Musk was released on Monday, which also revealed the the decision of Musk to cancel his partnership with the show.
During the controversial interview, the host, Lemon asked Musk whether he was “sober” or not, when he had post “controversial stuff” on X.
Lemon also questioned Musk about his Ketamine usage to treat depression.
Which Musk said, “It’s pretty private to ask somebody about a medical prescription.”
Moreover, he added that Ketamine was really helpful for him to come out of a “negative frame of mind.”