<div id="readability-page-1"><div>Bill Gates once revealed that the same person who challenged his intellect as a teenager also pushed him into experimenting with LSD, marijuana and alcohol.<h2>This Person's Outsized Influence On Bill Gates' Early Life</h2>In &#34;Source Code: My Beginnings,&#34; officially released Feb. 4, 2025, Gates looks back on his formative years with unusual candor, crediting late Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) co-founder Paul Allen as both a catalyst and a provocateur.Allen, Gates says, wasn't just instrumental in steering him toward computers — he also encouraged boundary-pushing behavior typical of rebellious teens.Don't Miss:<ul><li>These five entrepreneurs are worth $223 billion – they all believe in one platform that offers a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends</li><li>An EA Co-Founder Shapes This VC Backed Marketplace—Now You Can Invest in Gaming's Next Big Platform</li></ul>Speaking with GeekWire in February 2025, Gates recalled that Allen introduced him to LSD and other substances, joking that his friend was &#34;a problem&#34; who also got him drunk, gave him marijuana and exposed him to Jimi Hendrix's music.&#34;He got me drunk, he gave me pot. This guy was a problem, Jimi Hendrix, I mean, he made me listen to that music,&#34; Gates said, referring to Allen.While Gates' parents provided structure and discipline, Allen embodied a different influence — constantly daring him to try new things.Trending: Deloitte's #1 Fastest-Growing Software Company Lets Users Earn Money Just by Scrolling — Accredited Investors Can Still Get In at $0.50/Share.<h2>Experimentation, Risk And Regret</h2>In Source Code, Gates writes that he tried LSD four or five times in total, beginning in his teens and stopping in his early 20s.In an interview with PEOPLE published in January 2025, Gates said those experiences were driven by curiosity and risk-taking — traits that later defined his business career — but also by youthful insecurity.He described getting drunk for the first time and passing out, and experimenting with marijuana partly in hopes of impressing girls. &#34;It didn't work out,&#34; Gates admitted, adding that the attempts to seem cool fell flat.While some moments seemed profound at the time, Gates now views them with skepticism. He said he eventually gave up drugs because he valued mental clarity and worried about long-term effects on his mind.Previously, Gates also said that the late Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) co-founder Steve Jobs once told him he should have tried hallucinogenic drugs to make Microsoft products more appealing.Looking back, Gates cautioned against romanticizing those experiences, noting that what felt insightful then rarely was.See Also: GM-Backed EnergyX Is Solving the Lithium Supply Crisis — Invest Before They Scale Global Production<h2>From Microsoft IPO To Bill Gates' Billionaire Status</h2>Gates currently has a net worth of $118 billion, ranking him 18th on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index. He stepped down as Microsoft CEO in 2000. In the same year, he established Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation.Steve Ballmer, then Microsoft's president, was named to succeed Gates as CEO. Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 after being recruited by Gates and was elevated to president in 1998.Gates launched his first company at age 15 with friend Paul Allen, who later went on to co-found Microsoft alongside him.During Gates' tenure as CEO, Microsoft experienced years of strong growth, delivering substantial returns to investors and helping propel Gates to the position of the world's richest person from 1993 to 2007.Microsoft went public in 1986 at $21 per share and Gates became a millionaire after retaining a 45% stake in the company.Currently, Microsoft has a market capitalization of $3.60 trillion.Photo Courtesy: Alexandros Michailidis on ShutterstockRead Next: $100k+ in investable assets? Match with a fiduciary advisor for free to learn how you can maximize your retirement and save on taxes – no cost, no obligation.Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market.Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga:<ul><li>APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report</li><li>TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report</li></ul>This article Bill Gates Was Introduced To LSD By This Person At Microsoft — It Is None Other Than The Guy Who Also Got Him Drunk And Gave Him Pot originally appeared on Benzinga.com</div></div>

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Bill Gates credits late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen for influencing his early life, including experimenting with LSD, marijuana, and alcohol. In "Source Code: My Beginnings," Gates reflects on Allen's role as a catalyst and provocateur, encouraging boundary-pushing behavior. Gates recalls Allen introducing him to substances and music, shaping his curiosity and risk-taking traits. Despite initial profound moments, Gates now values mental clarity and cautions against romanticizing those experiences. Gates' career flourished, leading Microsoft to strong growth and his billionaire status.

- Bill Gates reflects on his formative years in "Source Code: My Beginnings," acknowledging Paul Allen's significant influence, which included introducing him to drugs and encouraging rebellious behavior.  
- Gates recounts experimenting with LSD, marijuana, and alcohol during his youth, driven by curiosity and a desire to fit in, but later underscored the importance of mental clarity.  
- He cautions against romanticizing such experiences, recognizing that what once felt profound was often not insightful as he later valued clear thinking over those risky pursuits.