HAIR TEST KIT CAN SPOT KIDS' DRUG USE

But It Shouldn't Replace Talking to Your Children, Manufacturer Says

VANCOUVER - An American company has come up with a home drug-testing
kit for parents who suspect their kids are up to no good.

Parents can already use GPS tracking devices in cars or cell phones to
monitor their teens' whereabouts and online monitoring tools to track
their kids' Internet usage.

Now, for $64.99 US, HairConfirm can let parents know within 48 hours
if their teen is using drugs.

"It can test for seven different drugs -- including amphetamines,
cocaine, ecstasy, PCP and marijuana," said Confirm BioSciences CEO
Zeynep Ilgaz, whose San Diego-based company posted revenues last year
of $2.6 million.

The one-time-use kit provides an accurate drug history of up to 90
days, including frequency of use, said Ilgaz. "It can tell if the
person is experimenting, if they're a recreational user or addicted."

About 30 to 40 strands of hair -- "it doesn't mattered if it's
coloured, dirty or has gel in it" -- are needed. A lab in Ohio
analyzes the hair molecules and results are posted online within two
business days.

The kit includes a hair-collection foil and a hair-specimen pouch and
comes with prepaid postage within the United States. Canadians have to
pay for their own postage.

The product debuted in June and has sold more than 3,000 kits online.
The company has signed deals with Kmart and Amazon.com and is
currently negotiating with Canadian retailers.

Although HairConfirm is aimed at parents, Ilgaz said it has been
unexpectedly popular in the workplace.

"We have employers using it to test their employees, and employees
testing themselves first before they seek employment (in the U.S.)"

Ilgaz stresses the kit isn't meant to be a substitute for parent-child
communication. "(Parents) should tell their kids and they can tell
their friends: 'I can't do drugs. I'm being drug-tested.' "

Vancouver psychologist Janice Ebenstiner said such devices can act as
deterrents, but would not recommend using them without the teen's
knowledge. "It's the parent's job to monitor but it needs to be open
and discussed," she said. "Trust has to be built. It's better than
having to spy on your kids."