The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 7th, citing anonymous people familiar with the matter, that Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s drug use has raised concerns among the company’s management and board of directors in recent years.
According to reports, Musk often took the psychotropic drug LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), cocaine, ecstasy, and hallucinogenic mushrooms at private parties, and people who witnessed him or knew of his use told the WSJ.
Additionally, people close to Musk told the WSJ that his drug use, particularly ketamine, continued. The WSJ reported that Linda Johnson Rice, a Tesla board member, left the board after her term ended in 2019 without seeking reelection, and there were concerns about Musk’s drug use in addition to his erratic behavior. This is not the first time Musk has been controversial about drug use.
WSJ previously reported in July of last year, citing internal sources, that Musk used ketamine to treat depression or for entertainment at parties. In September 2018, he sparked controversy by appearing on comedian Joe Rogan’s podcast show and appearing to smoke a puff of marijuana after receiving it from the host. Musk was subject to a federal investigation and drug test for his actions.
Musk’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, told WSJ, “Musk was subject to regular or unexpected drug tests at Space Musk also posted on his own social media platform, He denied suspicions of drug use, saying, “Not even trace amounts of drugs or alcohol were detected.”
He then pointed out, “WSJ is not even suitable to be used as a litter paper in a parrot’s cage.” SpaceX, of which Musk is CEO, is currently the only American company approved to send NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
The U.S. Department of Defense is also increasing purchases of launch vehicles from SpaceX.