Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, devotes most of his efforts to assisting humanity in embarking on new interplanetary journeys, but the tech mogul also appears to be in favor of trips of a different kind. Musk stated his support for the medicinal use of psychedelic drugs during the CodeCon 2021 technology development event, anticipating that the substances will become more widely accepted in the coming years. “I think people should be open to psychedelics in general,” Musk remarked in front of a live audience during an interview. While he did not go into detail about why he favors these mind-altering medicines, a growing body of scientific research suggests that psychedelics have the potential to treat mental health conditions.
Substances like ayahuasca and psilocybin – the key ingredient in magic mushrooms – have been shown to improve mental wellness and are consider as potential treatments for depression. The existing prohibition on the use of psychedelics, according to Musk, is likely to be overturned in the near future, allowing more people to benefit from their healing powers.
“A lot of individuals drafting legislation are from a different age,” he said, “so I think we’ll see greater openness to the benefits of psychedelics when the new generation gains political power.” Musk voiced his belief that our species is not as terrible as our reputation suggests when asked if these chemicals could help address some of humanity’s “destructive tendencies.” He claimed, “We are truly at the lowest violence per capita in human history,” stating “we are at a very tranquil moment in history.” That may not appear to be the case, but those are the facts.”
While Musk has never publicly endorsed psychedelics, he has previously given some cryptic hints about his thoughts on the matter. For example, in November of last year, he tweeted that the “rules of thermodynamics” can never be broken “unless you’re on DMT,” a reference to the psychedelic substance found in ayahuasca.
Meanwhile, he made headlines in 2018 after consuming marijuana while appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Following the event, NASA initiated an investigation into SpaceX’s workplace culture, claiming to be looking for guarantees that the firm was capable of transporting passengers to the International Space Station.
A NASA representative told the Washington Post that the evaluation conducted to ensure that “businesses are satisfying NASA’s criteria for worker safety, including adherence to a drug-free environment.” Although Musk’s recent comments have some wondering what it might be like to consume psychedelics in orbit, SpaceX staff are unlikely to utilize mind-altering drugs while on the job.
