Phil Wolfson: Is Recreational Ketamine Therapeutic?

Today on the show, I'm speaking with the Godfather of ketamine therapy, author of The Ketamine Papers, and creator of the ketamine lozenge, Dr. Phil Wolfson. This episode marks the first time Phil has shared his insights on this mercurial molecule for those who use it recreationally, or as he prefers to term it, "ground use." As Phil stresses on the show, he doesn't condone any illegal behavior and provides his comments strictly for educational purposes.

Our conversation starts with Phil's activist experiences in the sixties and his perspective on non-therapeutic use of psychedelics. He unpacks ketamine's unique signature as a dissociative anesthetic and its therapeutic value, specifically focusing on routes of administration. We navigate the realm of non-clinical, or shall I say, festival ketamine use. I had the chance to pose all my burning questions about Special K to Phil, including some of your questions from Instagram. We discuss whether there's a genuine difference between S and R isomers, if one should "spit the drip" to avoid bladder damage, and if frequent ketamine use leads to memory loss. Most importantly, we address the severity of ketamine dependency. 

Dr. Wolfson serves as the President and CEO of the Ketamine Research Foundation and spearheads The Ketamine Training Center. He is the author of 'The Ketamine Papers' and 'Noe – A Father/Son Song of Love, Life, Illness, and Death.’ He served as the Principal Investigator for the MAPS study on MDMA treatment for those with life-threatening illnesses. His substantial work in clinical psychiatry and psychedelic medicine spans decades, with interests reaching into politics, secular Buddhism, consciousness, and activism for social and ecological justice.

Links

• Phil Wolfson, MD | Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
• Ketamine Research Foundation
• The Ketamine Training Center 
• The Ketamine Papers: Science, Therapy, and Transformation
• Noe: A Father-Son Song of Love, Life, Illness, and Death
• Ketamine Testing Kit From DanceSafe

Timestamps

• :10 - Phil’s experience in the 60s and the idea of “recreational” substance use 
• :23 - Ketamine’s unique dissociative signature
• :29 - S & R isomers and why ketamine experiences are so different and the story of the K-Hole
• :33 - Therapeutic ketamine use and routes of administration
• :47 - Equity & Access to psychedelics
• :58 - Is my party ketamine use therapeutic? 
• 1:10 - Does ketamine cause issues with memory?