In an interview on Monday, Elon Musk said his drug use was good for Tesla investors, saying he took prescription ketamine to treat his “negative mood”, AFP reported.

Faced with investors’ concerns, reported by US media, the 52-year-old tycoon confirmed that he had taken the anesthetic, which is commonly used to relieve pain and depression but has also been used for stimulant or euphoric purposes.

Stating that one of Tesla’s models was “the best-selling car in the world last year,” he said: “From an investor’s point of view, if I take something, I have to keep taking it.” The owner of Tesla, SpaceX and X (formerly Twitter) spoke with former CNN anchor Don Lemon.

The billionaire denied abusing ketamine, saying he took “a small dose every two weeks or so”, adding that he was prescribed it to “get rid of the negative mood”.

In the nearly hour-long interview, Elon Musk also talked about his meeting with Donald Trump in March, but did not say who he would support in the presidential election in November.

He said he was “moving away” from Democratic President Joe Biden by not endorsing Trump, saying “a lot can happen between now and the election.”

On Friday, Elon Musk wrote on X that Americans must vote Republican in November or “America is doomed.”

“Imagine if it got worse for another four years,” he said, referring to illegal immigration, one of the Republican campaign issues.