Elon, Inc. In Elon's Silicon Valley, Drug Use Was Par for the Course
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Aug 19, 2025 
Kirsten Grind, a New York Times reporter, dives into her exposé on Elon Musk's alleged drug use and the broader drug culture in Silicon Valley. She discusses how tech entrepreneurs often self-medicate to cope with stress and enhance creativity. The conversation also touches on Musk's chaotic personal life and the implications of his public controversies. Grind explores the intersection of ambition, mental health, and performance enhancement, highlighting the high-stakes nature of success in the tech industry.
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How Grind Became The Drug Reporter
- Kirsten Grind built a beat covering drug use by reporting on billionaires like Tony Hsieh and Bob Lee.
- She accumulated sources about Silicon Valley's party and underground drug scenes without personally attending them.
Two Tracks Of Psychedelic Use
- Psychedelics in Silicon Valley run on two tracks: clinical research and recreational partying.
- The dangerous gray area is self-medication outside supervised medical settings.
CPAC Behavior Fueled Drug Questions
- Grind and colleagues investigated Musk's behavior at CPAC, where people described him giggling, talking fast, and sometimes slurring.
- They relied on others around Musk to judge whether his conduct there appeared abnormal.