Severe Enough to Be Fatal?... Musk Denies Drug Use Allegations During Presidential Campaign

Suspicions of Ketamine Use Continue to Emerge

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and a prominent figure during the Donald Trump administration, has come under suspicion of consuming drugs in quantities far exceeding normal levels during last year's U.S. presidential election campaign. The controversy is expected to intensify, especially as testimonies have emerged indicating that his use of ketamine was particularly severe.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has been accused of taking drugs in quantities far exceeding normal levels during last year's U.S. presidential election period. Photo by AP Yonhap News

The New York Times (NYT) reported on May 30 (local time), citing multiple sources, that Musk frequently used a variety of drugs at the time, including ketamine, and always carried a pill box containing about 20 pills. This pill box reportedly included powerful substances such as ketamine, and there were testimonies that his ketamine use was at a serious level. Ketamine is a potent anesthetic, sometimes used to treat depression, and was cited as the cause of death for Matthew Perry, an actor from the popular sitcom "Friends."

Musk has previously stated in interviews and on social networking services (SNS) that he takes small doses of ketamine every two weeks to treat depression. However, according to the NYT report, Musk's ketamine use was found to be much more severe. There were also claims that Musk combined ketamine with other drugs, and that at some private gatherings, he used ecstasy and hallucinogenic mushrooms as well. Earlier, in January of last year, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also reported, based on witness accounts, that Musk frequently consumed cocaine, ecstasy, and hallucinogenic mushrooms at private parties.

In connection with this, some have analyzed that Musk's erratic behavior last year may have been the result of drug side effects. In January, at an event related to President Trump's inauguration, Musk made a hand gesture that appeared to resemble a Nazi salute. In February, at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), he performed with a chainsaw and gave a rambling interview, displaying behavior that was difficult to understand.

However, Musk has denied these allegations. At a farewell press conference held at the White House Oval Office on May 30, when asked by reporters about the drug use allegations, Musk replied, "Isn't that the media outlet that won a Pulitzer Prize for fake news related to Russia-gate?" He added, "The NYT might need to return its Pulitzer. Let's move on to another question," thus avoiding a direct answer.

Musk's history of drug use could potentially affect not only the image of companies he leads, such as Tesla and SpaceX, but also their contracts with the U.S. government. In particular, SpaceX strictly prohibits drug use under its contract with NASA, and its employees have been subject to random drug testing over the past three years. However, there are allegations that Musk himself has been notified of the testing schedule in advance.