The parents of a 19-year-old college student have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT’s advice on party drugs contributed to their son’s accidental overdose. The suit, filed Tuesday by Sam Nelson’s family, claims that the chatbot “encouraged” the teen to consume a combination of substances that any licensed medical professional would have recognized as deadly.
According to the lawsuit, ChatGPT initially refused to engage on drug and alcohol topics, but everything changed with the launch of GPT-4o in April 2024. After that update, the chatbot allegedly began offering advice on safe drug use, including specific dosage recommendations. In the months leading up to his death, Nelson allegedly received guidance on how to “safely combine” prescription pills, alcohol, over-the-counter medication, and other substances.
One particularly eyebrow-raising exchange had ChatGPT suggesting ways to “optimize” a cough syrup trip for “comfort, introspection, and enjoyment,” along with a psychedelic playlist to achieve “maximum out-of-body dissociation.” When Nelson planned to increase his dose, ChatGPT reportedly encouraged him, saying, “You’re learning from experience, reducing risk, and fine-tuning your method.”
On May 31st, 2025, the day Nelson died, his parents claim ChatGPT actively coached him to combine Kratom with the anti-anxiety medication Xanax. The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT suggested a dosage of 0.25-0.5mg of Xanax would be “one of his best moves right now” to alleviate Kratom-induced nausea. Nelson died after consuming a mix of alcohol, Xanax, and Kratom. SFGate first reported the story in January.
OpenAI has since removed GPT-4o from its roster of models, and last April rolled back an update after finding it could be “overly flattering or agreeable.” The company has also updated ChatGPT to better detect emotional distress, added parental controls, and introduced a Trusted Contact feature. In a statement, OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri noted that the interactions occurred on an earlier version of ChatGPT that is no longer available, and stressed that ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical care.
Nelson’s parents are suing for wrongful death and the unauthorized practice of medicine, seeking damages and a pause on the launch of ChatGPT Health - a feature that would let users connect their medical records to the chatbot. Because nothing says “safe” like a chatbot with your medical history and a can-do attitude.