Not really. I don't personally like the "how are you" questions in life. It's basically American for "Hello". Many times I respond to "how are you" with a "good morning" (evening, etc. as appropriate), because I don't like giving the cursory "fine". If i'm feeling great, I say so, but no one wants to hear what a bad day I had or that my aunt is sick, etc.
The cop asked him "How are you tonight", and his one-word answer -- his spoken answer -- at an "intoxication checkpoint" -- was "High."
He told the cop he was high!
(Oh, sure, in his transcript, he typed the word "Hi." Very coy. SO coy that not even anyone HERE caught it, until hundreds of posts into the thread!)
Now, if YOU are a cop, checking for intoxicated drivers -- knowing that "vinas veritas" -- and you ask a driver "how are you", and he replies that he's HIGH, well, what are YOU going to do? Smile and wave him on, saying "Drive safely and have a great evening"?
Nope. You're going to say, OK, this guy is so looped that he blurted out that he's high -- to a cop! I gotta get this joker off the road. But first, let's see if I an get a handle on HOW high he is. "So, whatcha up to tonight? Where ya headed?" -- casual stuff, something to get the guy chatting, so you can find out HOW high he is.
This seems like a pretty straightforward "reverse-sting".
I'm "how are you?" resistor also. I will tell someone "OK" or "Meh" instead of giving some lame pat answer. If I win the lottery, just got laid or the Redskins win the Super Bowl, I'll tell them how great my day is. :)