Sources: some executives and board members fear that Elon Musk's use of LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms, ketamine, and other drugs could harm his companies
Some executives and board members fear the billionaire's use of drugs—including LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms and ketamine—could harm his companies
Wall Street Journal
Context & Ripple Effects
The report sits within a broader examination of how drug use has moved from private behavior into Silicon Valley corporate-governance concerns, including board-level issues tied to executive drug use. For companies led closely by a single high-profile executive, those concerns become an operational and oversight question rather than solely a personal matter.
Subsequent related coverage focused on whether directors’ participation in drug use with Musk could complicate perceptions of their independence, sharpening the governance dimension of the original concerns.
First-order effects
The reported concerns put Musk’s companies’ executives and directors under immediate pressure to assess leadership continuity, decision-making safeguards, and how they document oversight of a key executive.
The allegations can raise reputational and governance risk for the companies even without a disclosed operational disruption, because stakeholders may question whether boards can respond independently.
Second-order effects
Board scrutiny may shift from Musk’s personal conduct to director independence and the adequacy of internal escalation channels, particularly in light of the later report involving Tesla and SpaceX directors.
Competitors and business counterparties gain a clearer governance line of attack: they can contrast their own leadership controls with uncertainty around founder-led decision-making.
Third-order effects
If similar reports continue, founder-centric tech companies may face stronger expectations that boards demonstrate independence and credible succession planning rather than rely on the founder’s personal assurances.
The broader structural issue is whether Silicon Valley’s tolerance for executive behavior outside work can persist once it creates visible board and company-risk questions.
The trend: This is one data point in the shift from treating executive drug use as private conduct to treating it as a corporate-governance and board-independence issue.
Inside Elon Musk's illegal drug use, and the years-long concern of some leaders at Tesla and SpaceX - especially, lately, about his use of ketamine. Some directors have taken drugs along with him. An investigation w/ the great @glazer https://www.wsj.com/...
Speaking as a board-certified anesthesiologist that has administered ketamine to patients ranging from 4 to 60 years old: there's absolutely nothing about Ketamine that would explain Musk's racism, misogyny, transphobia, antisemitism, or xenophobia. No, his statements and/or beh…
Reminder that before the WSJ published this story about the world's richest man and his drug use they spent a lot of time and money with lawyers poring over every word.
When folks ask me why this entrepreneur has changed so drastically and not in a good way, I have no answer. But here's one from the @wsj that sounds plausible: Elon Musk Has Used Illegal Drugs, Worrying Leaders at Tesla and SpaceX https://www.wsj.com/...
Stuff like this is so hard to get on the record. Bravo to @kirsten.grind and @glazer for this piece on how Musk's drug use worries those around him https://www.wsj.com/...
Wait, Elon's drug use (and a cohort of obviously eager enablers/board members) aside, why the hell is the public paying to train his employees?! — “NASA demanded written assurances that SpaceX was complying with the federal drug-free workplace law and spent $5 million in taxpay…
WSJ: — The world's wealthiest person has used LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms, often at private parties around the world, where attendees sign nondisclosure agreements or give up their phones to enter, according to people who have witnessed his drug use and othe…
Elon Musk's use of drugs—including LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms and ketamine—has made some Tesla and SpaceX leaders worry about potential risk to his companies. https://www.wsj.com/... https://www.wsj.com/...
Elon Musk's use of drugs—including LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms and ketamine—has made some Tesla and SpaceX leaders worry about potential risk to his companies by me and @KirstenGrind along with a team of @WSJ reporters and editors https://www.wsj.com/...
“People close to Musk, who is now 52, said his drug use is ongoing, especially his consumption of ketamine, and that they are concerned it could cause a health crisis.” https://www.wsj.com/...
This is definitely a WSJ hit piece, but I really hope Elon doesn't go the way of Howard Hughes. He's too important for humanity. https://www.wsj.com/...
“Illegal drug use would likely be a violation of federal policies that could jeopardize SpaceX's billions of dollars in government contracts. Musk is intrinsic to the value of his companies, potentially putting at risk ~$1 trillion in [investor] assets.” https://www.wsj.com/...