AREA STORES SELLING DO-IT-YOURSELF KITS THAT DETECT ALCOHOL, ILLEGAL DRUGS

McALLEN - Tex-Mart and Circle K stores, two of the largest convenience
stores in South Texas, now sell easy-to-use drug and alcohol tests that can
determine the presence of illicit drugs and whether blood alcohol levels
are above the legal limit.

The devices, which are normally behind the counter at the stores, drew
lukewarm responses from law enforcement officials, but the manufacturer
said the tests are another weapon in the nation's fight against drug use
and alcohol abuse.

"The drug problem being what it is, the parents need to get to their kid
early," said H. Thad Morris, president of Worldwide Medical Corp., which
began selling the tests to hospitals and doctors' offices in 1995.

Tex-Mart started selling First Check home drug tests about two months ago;
Circle K stores started selling the tests on Monday.

Officials for both convenience stores said the likely customers for the
First Check alcohol test could be people coming home from a bar who do not
want to be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The drug
tests are aimed at parents who discreetly want to check their children for
use of marijuana, cocaine, opiates and methamphetamines, they said.

"I think the audience is going to be folks with a question of, 'Should I or
should I not get into a car and drive,' " said Mark Key, a manager for SSP
Circle K, the chain's headquaters in Corpus Christi.

The devices are being sold statewide.

There are four different tests: a breath test kit for alcohol, costing
$10.99 for a box of three tests; one marijuana test, for $10.99; a
marijuana and cocaine test, $17.99; and a test for marijuana, cocaine,
opiates and methamphetamines, $27.99.

Although the tests have been used in prisons for spot drug tests, the
package says the test is not intended to legally determine blood alcohol
presense or levels.

Texas Department of Public Safety officials said that while the drug and
alcohol tests might be good for private use, they will not replace official
tests.

"Some parents might want to use them to check their kids," said Adrian
Rivera, public information officer for the DPS. "But a court of law is not
going to use them to uphold the law."

Police arrest about 1 million people each year for driving under the
unfluence, or DUI, Morris said.

"You can take a cab 200 times for what it costs you to have one DUI
arrest," Morris said.

To use the drug tests, three drops of urine are placed in a hand-held
plastic tester, which gives a result within five minutes.

The alcohol test consists of squeezing a small plastic tube to release
testing crystals, then blowing into the tube. If the yellow crytals turn
blue, the breath registered a blood alcohol level at or above .08 percent,
the legal definition of intoxication in 17 states.

Texas is expected to lower its intoxication limit from .10 percent to .08
percent.

For parents, the tests could be a weapon to deter their children from using
drugs.

"You have to have the communication - you have to let them know that if
they're tempted, you can test them," Morris said.

David Trevino, district manager for Tex-Mart, agreed.

"This is a wonderful avenue to protect your kids without the expense of
going down to the doctor's office," he said.

The manufacturer, based in Irvine, Calif., said they will begin running
radio spots on Rio Grande Valley stations to advertise the product.