A drug test hits the headlines…

...simply holding up a sheet of paper with numbers purporting to be the results of a drug test, may possibly be the least reliable way to demonstrate continuing abstinence from drug use.

This particular test is newsworthy because of who is involved: Elon Musk, erstwhile Master of DOGE and the world‘s richest man. He’s now scrapping with The New York Times about his alleged use of ketamine during his tenure at the White House.

I believe a lawsuit is already in the frame.

In support of his claim, Musk confronted reporters with a photograph of what appeared to be a lab report dated June 11, showing test results for a range of drugs including ketamine. The report claimed he tested negative for ketamine.

Musk seemed to feel that was proof positive of abstinence.

IMO: Not exactly. I’d call it a piece of evidence in support of the notion that, at the time of the test, he had not been using ketamine very recently. That alone, however, is not conclusive proof of continuous drug free status. There are too many other factors to consider.

Ordinarily, ketamine is detectable in the urine for anywhere from a couple of days to, in some cases, a couple of...

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