Elon Musk Under Fire for Alleged Drug Use and Erratic Behavior
Billionaire Elon Musk’s reported use of psychedelic drugs like ketamine and his erratic behavior have become the subject of concern for several board members at Tesla and SpaceX, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
The report claims that Musk has been using drugs like ketamine, LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms at private parties across the world where guests sign nondisclosure agreements or give up their phones to join. It also alleges that he used magic mushrooms at a party in Mexico and engaged in recreational ketamine usage at an Art Basel house party in Miami, with his brother and former board member of Tesla, Kimbal Musk.
The concerns about Musk’s drug use have led to random drug tests of SpaceX personnel, with Musk’s attorney, Alex Spiro, stating that he is regularly and randomly drug tested at SpaceX and has never failed a test.
The report also details instances of Musk’s erratic behavior, including a SpaceX event in 2017 where he was reportedly incomprehensible and slurred his speech. In 2018, Musk landed in trouble with NASA after being seen consuming marijuana on the Joe Rogan Show, leading to concerns about his behavior’s effect on the company.
The alleged drug use would violate corporate regulations at both SpaceX and Tesla, in addition to breaking federal contracts, and would cast doubt on Musk’s leadership role at the publicly listed Tesla, where board members are tasked with monitoring management on behalf of shareholders.
While Musk has attributed his unusual behavior to his chronic lack of sleep, as well as his “demon mode”, described by author Walter Isaacson in a recently published book about the billionaire, concerns about the impact of his behavior on the companies he oversees continue to grow.
Tesla board members have expressed worries about Musk’s alleged drug usage, with some seeking assistance over his conduct, according to the report. Executives are yet to identify the underlying reasons for Musk’s behavior, which has included outbursts and striking out at executives and staff, as described by Isaacson.
As the controversy continues to unfold, many will be watching closely to see how it may impact Musk’s leadership and the future of his companies.