CEO of $2B Startup Ousted for Taking LSD at Work | Hacker News Reader

CEO of $2B Startup Ousted for Taking LSD at Work

bloomberg.com

39 pointswhoisjuan17 comments

I wonder if the LSD was the real reason why the CEO was ousted. Microdosing LSD seems perfectly in-character for a Silicon Valley CEO. Granted, I can understand why taking LSD would make some people on the board nervous, but I can't help but think there is more to this story.

Ell Oh Ell. LSD is a Schedule I controlled substance. That means you can go to jail for a long time just for having some. Boards can't afford to have CEOs that might go to jail.

A cursory web search says first time conviction of possession alone is up to 1 year in jail or a $5k fine. Not that long IMO.

The long sentences start with intent to distribute.

For a ceo, 1 month or 10 years, not much difference. You are gone and not coming back in either case. And I would imagine damage to shareholders is about the same as well.

Contrast with Elon Musk who was publicly smoking weed (also Schedule 1) during an interview

Marijuana was legal in California for recreational use when that episode was filmed. Practically speaking, the Jeff Sessions era DOJ would prosecute you anyway if you were selling because they'd claim you could sell to non-Californians, but they had no cause to prosecute California residents for personal use and never did. We'll see how the Merrick Garland DOJ ends up treating it.

Also, Musk can get away with things. It's his whole schtick.

Do you realize you are comparing a CEO taking an illegal drug at work to a CEO taking a legal drug outside of work?

It's not federally legal. State laws don't override federal law. And Musk is the ceo of spaceX, a federal contractor. Who also has the explicit rule that disqualifies any contractors from using illegal drugs. Which is why spaceX drug tests.

> State laws don't override federal law.

Weird, because half of the States' ten-year tax plans seem to think that they (effectively!) do!

Recreational use of marijuana is illegal in the US. States such as California can only choose not to prosecute it. That's not the same as being legal.

> Recreational use of marijuana is illegal in the US. States such as California can only choose not to prosecute it. That's not the same as being legal.

If the King never sails over here to enforce the Tea Tax...is there one?

When you are an easily recognized public figure, then I would say yes

Obviously not!

Yes, that kind of disagrees with the reality, but I think it's more to do with Musk just being more in the favour of the board as others have suggested.

Doing coke is in-character for people in sales and finance, too. Getting caught is less acceptable

Clearly Boni wanted him gone in order to take his spot, so under the cover of trust, discretion and friendship he enticed him to share about his microdosing adventures including how he had taken it before meetings. Boni secretly got it on record, and went to the board to use as leverage for his coup. Day in the life of cut-throat "co-founder" "friendships". Trust no one. Be a solo founder.

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