Report claims Tesla, SpaceX leaders worried over Elon Musk’s drug abuse, tech mogul responds

Over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal released a comprehensive report shedding light on Elon Musk’s alleged drug use, causing concern among executives at SpaceX and Tesla. The article suggests that Tesla board members have been informally discussing Musk’s drug consumption for years, even expressing their worries to his brother Kimbal Musk. Musk is reported to have used various substances, including LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, and ketamine, particularly at private gatherings. Musk has of course, denied these allegations, saying that “Not even trace quantities were found of any drugs or alcohol,” and that “The Wall Street Journal is not fit to line a parrot cage for bird.”

After that one puff with Rogan, I agreed, at NASA’s request, to do 3 years of random drug testing.

Not even trace quantities were found of any drugs or alcohol. @WSJ is not fit to line a parrot cage for bird 💩

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2024

According to sources cited in the report, Musk’s drug use has taken place in the company of executives, including recreational ketamine use with his brother Kimbal and the consumption of unspecified illegal drugs with SpaceX board member Steve Jurvetson. The article also reveals that former Tesla director Linda Johnson Rice departed from the company in 2019, citing Musk’s drug consumption and unpredictable behaviour as contributing factors. Musk’s use of ketamine in particular, which he claims is prescribed for antidepressant purposes, has raised eyebrows among those closely associated with the CEO. Musk himself took to social media to address the issue, noting that, following his infamous appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast in 2018 where he smoked marijuana, he agreed to three years of random drug testing at NASA’s request. According to Musk, these tests have not revealed any traces of drugs or alcohol. The report links Musk’s drug use incidents such as his marijuana puff on Joe Rogan’s podcast in September 2018, leading to a review of his federal security clearance tied to his role as CEO of SpaceX. In response to the article, Musk, who oversees multiple companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, and social media platform X, stated on his social media platform X that, “Not even trace quantities were found of any drugs or alcohol” during three years of random drug testing initiated at NASA’s request following the Joe Rogan podcast incident.

TMZ has vastly higher standards than the WSJ (actually)

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 8, 2024

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Alex Spiro, Musk’s attorney, refuted some claims in the article, emphasizing that Musk undergoes regular and random drug testing at SpaceX and has never failed a test. However, Musk did not provide a detailed response to the specific allegations made in The Wall Street Journal report. SpaceX’s pivotal role in space transportation, including ferrying NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station, is underscored in the context of Musk’s behaviour. The Pentagon’s increased reliance on SpaceX for satellite launches and a recent contract with SpaceX’s satellite communications arm, Starlink, for supporting Ukraine’s military, further highlights the company’s significance. (With inputs from agencies)