Billionaire Elon Musk recently made headlines for his use of psychedelic drugs like ketamine to manage depression. However, concerns have arisen among several board members at Tesla and SpaceX regarding his drug use, which could potentially impact both his health and the vast business empire he oversees. Musk has now addressed these concerns, stating that ketamine has aided him in managing the companies, according to a report.
During an interview with journalist Don Lemon, the Tesla CEO discussed his use of ketamine, explaining, “There are times when I have sort of a… negative chemical state in my brain, like depression I guess, or depression that’s not linked to any negative news, and ketamine is helpful for getting one out of the negative frame of mind.”
Musk mentioned that he uses ketamine in a small amount once every other week or something like that” under the prescription of an actual, real doctor. He emphasized the need to balance his medication intake with his demanding work schedule, stating, “If you use too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done, and I have a lot of work.”
Regarding concerns about the impact of his drug use on government contracts and investor relations, Musk asserted that what truly matters to Wall Street is execution and value creation for investors. Despite reports of his past drug usage, he believes his depression to be genetic and does not foresee it affecting his leadership role or the value of Tesla.
Reports have also surfaced regarding Musk’s use of other drugs like LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms at private parties, leading some former board members, such as Linda Johnson Rice, to distance themselves from Tesla due to concerns over Musk’s behavior. However, Musk’s attorney, Alex Spiro, stated that he undergoes regular drug testing at SpaceX and has never failed a test.
Musk previously faced scrutiny from NASA for consuming marijuana during an appearance on the Joe Rogan Show in 2018, resulting in random drug tests for SpaceX personnel. Any involvement in illegal drug usage would not only violate corporate regulations at SpaceX and Tesla but also federal contracts, potentially undermining Musk’s leadership position at Tesla.