Tesla stock dropped 10 percent Friday, a day after CEO Elon Musk smoked marijuana during a live interview with comedian Joe Rogan, despite previously criticizing the drug, and after two top executives left the company.
Toward the end of the more than two-hour interview that was live-streamed on YouTube, Mr. Rogan pulled out a joint that he described as marijuana wrapped inside tobacco.
“I think I had one once,” Mr. Musk said.
“Come on man,” Mr. Rogan laughed. “You probably can’t because of stockholders, right?”
“I mean it’s legal, right?” Mr. Musk asked before taking a hit.
The two then drank some whiskey and discussed how alcohol is also a drug.
Mr. Musk’s antics came on a tough day in the stock market for his company.
Tesla’s shares dropped to $252.25 earlier Friday morning, falling 10 percent, Bloomberg reported.
The drop followed not only Mr. Musk’s interview, but also Chief Accounting Officer Dave Morton’s resignation that was announced this week. Tesla’s head of Human Services, Gabrielle Toledano, is also taking her leave, Bloomberg said.
As for the video, it does not appear to violate any YouTube policies because it only restricts content that promotes selling “certain regulated or illegal goods” through sales pitches or direct links.
The interview took place in California, where both medical and recreational use is allowed, but it is still illegal on the federal level.
However, during an interview for The New York Times, Mr. Musk criticized the use of the drug while denying it had anything to do with attempting to take Tesla private.
“Weed is not helpful for productivity. There’s a reason for the word ’stoned.’ You just sit there like a stone on weed,” he told The Times.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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