Elon Musk’s alleged drug use puts 13,000 jobs at risk, report suggests

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Allegations made against Elon Musk over possible drug use is worrying executives within his companies, a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has suggested.  

Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla and SpaceX, has denied the claims, insisting no trace of drugs or alcohol has been found in his body during random tests over three years.

The allegations followed a recent SpaceX meeting, when, the report said, an executive  described Musk as “nonsensical,” “unhinged,” and “cringeworthy” after the chief executive officer turned up nearly an hour late, rambling and slurring his words.

According to the report, Linda Johnson Rice, a former Tesla board member, decided against re-election because of her worries about Musk’s drug use and unpredictable behaviour.

Sources familiar with the allegations over possible drug use said the claims referred to drugs including LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine.  

According to WSJ’s report, Musk’s alleged drug use poses a risk to approximately €900 billion ($1 trillion) in assets, 13,000 jobs, and the US space programme.

Previously, Musk admitted to using ketamine for treating depression. In 2018, he smoked marijuana during a “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, leading to issues with NASA.

After the episode, NASA required SpaceX to commit to federal workplace drug guidelines and allocate €4.6 million ($5 million) for employee training.

Some of Tesla’s board members have even wondered if Musk might have been under the influence of drugs when he tweeted in 2018 about taking the company private. The tweet shocked shareholders and triggered an investigation which resulted in €37 million ($40 million) in penalties and led to Musk temporarily stepping down from his chairman role at Tesla.

In response to the WSJ report, Musk’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, confirmed that Musk had never failed a drug test. He criticised the  report for citing “false facts” without specifying them.