Would it really be an issue if Musk used drugs?

Elon Musk has, in the past, mentioned on several occasions that he has used or experimented with certain substances. A few years ago, for example, he smoked some marijuana during his appearance on comedian Joe Rogan's podcast, which generated a lot of criticism. Even NASA got involved in the controversy: the U.S. government agency, which has contracts worth billions of dollars with SpaceX, asked for clarifications and subsequently required surprise drug tests for all company employees. Recently, there has been renewed discussion about Musk's possible use of substances after the Wall Street Journal published a lengthy and detailed investigation on the matter. According to the reputable U.S. newspaper, Musk's dependencies are causing concerns among executives of his companies – especially at the top levels of Tesla and SpaceX. The WSJ writes that in recent years, Musk has taken various intoxicating substances on several occasions, including cocaine, LSD, ecstasy, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and ketamine – especially during private parties. Participants in many of these events, the WSJ notes, had to surrender their smartphones at the entrance and sign a confidentiality agreement. Based on information provided by individuals who were present at these parties, whose identities were not disclosed, the newspaper compiled a detailed list of occasions when Musk allegedly used drugs.

Musk's relationship with drugs

In the past, Musk openly admitted to using micro-doses of ketamine to manage depression but clarified that he takes it under medical prescription. Ketamine has a powerful analgesic effect and has been experimented with in psychiatric settings for treating conditions such as depression. According to Musk, when taken in very low doses, the substance is more useful than other drugs, which tend to nullify the person. According to WSJ sources, Musk would, however, take more ketamine than necessary on occasions like parties, combined with the use of other intoxicants, leading to potential repercussions on his behavior and management of his companies, where billions of dollars are at stake, employing thousands of people.

Why it's a problem if Elon Musk uses drugs

I stopped taking Ambien because I would 100% buy this in my sleep. pic.twitter.com/y1D0e7b7Od

— 9mmSMG (@9mm_smg) January 3, 2024

In addition to SpaceX and Tesla, Musk controls various companies, including X (formerly Twitter). The WSJ reports that some executives of these companies are sometimes worried about his clarity, considering his insomnia issues. «It is often a choice of no sleep or Ambien», Musk recently said to the New York Times, referring to a powerful sleep-inducing drug. However, not everyone – celebrities included – follows these recommendations, and the result, at best, is reduced clarity. A term has even been coined for tweeting under the influence of this drug, Ambien tweeting, with sometimes unexpected consequences. Following the publication of the WSJ investigation into Musk's possible drug use, his lawyer simply stated that the newspaper would report many inaccuracies but provided no further explanations. Musk instead compared the Wall Street Journal to a well-known U.S. gossip site, TMZ, saying that the latter has «vastly higher standards». Responding to other posts about his possible dependencies, Musk reminded that he has «leading Tesla to be the world’s most valuable car company» and «SpaceX the world's most valuable space company» adding, «Whatever I’m doing, I should obviously keep doing it!»