Marijuana is legal in several states, and you can even order ketamine from a Facebook ad. What you do behind closed doors is, in most cases, your business, but what about if you’re the CEO of several companies with combined values in the hundreds of billions of dollars? That’s a question Tesla’s board members are facing, as CEO Elon Musk’s alleged drug use has been plastered across the internet and news stations everywhere.
Musk’s recreational drug use is said to include long-term use of ketamine, according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal. It also claimed that he took cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, and psychedelic mushrooms at private parties, where it’s reported that some attendees signed non-disclosure agreements. Of course, Musk wasn’t all that shy about drug use a few years back as he hit a blunt on camera during an episode of Joe Rogan’s podcast.
Legally, drug use could cause problems for Musk and his companies, as the government isn’t too keen on contracting with a company led by someone perceived to be irresponsible. Where you fall on the issue from an ethics standpoint depends mainly on how you feel about drug use in general. Personally, I couldn’t care less about what people do with their time.
Having said that, the bottom line question here is whether or not any of this nonsense affects his ability to run the handful of companies he’s responsible for. Even if it did not impact Musk’s ability to perform as a leader, negative public perception and potential business repercussions could be significant. No matter what Tesla’s board says about drug use, their focus is on profits and growth, and the moment Musk’s run down the K-hole jeopardizes that, he becomes a big problem.
[Image: YouTube]
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