AGENCY BACKS DRUG-TEST KITS

A national drugs agency yesterday defended the use of kits to test ecstasy
and other illegal substances after the Government's drug "czar" criticised
them as "immoral" and called for them to be banned.

Keith Hellawell, the UK Drugs Co-ordinator, reacted angrily to the news that
a company was selling the kits for as little as A35 to people who wanted to
check pills and powders before buying them.

The devices are sold by at least two firms - the Green Party and a private
company - and can detect several drugs, including pure ecstasy or MDMA,
amphetamine and a hallucinogen called 2CB. The substances are identified by
pouring a chemical on to a tiny amount of the drug, which changes colour and
be compared with an identification chart.

Mr Hellawell said he wanted the kits banned "because they give people a
false sense of security. They do not make ecstasy or any other drug less
dangerous. It seems to be an immoral money-making venture."

But Mike Goodman, director of Release, the national drug and legal
organisation, disagreed. "We believe these testing kits should be made
available to young people. It's a pragmatic measure and has some benefit in
reducing the amount of rogue drugs taken and allows people to have a better
idea of what they taking."

However, he warned: "These kits are not a panacea - they don't tell you the
strength of the drug, or what impurities are present. It should be used as
part of a risk reduction policy."

One of the kits, known as Easy Test, which went on sale a couple of months
ago via mail order and the Internet, has already sold about 2,000 at A35
each. The kits can recognise six different types of drugs, and can be used
about 15 times. The Green Party product costs A315, or A334 for a more
accurate model.

The devices were first developed in the Netherlands and used as a method of
detecting adulterated pills. Dealers frequently mix drugs such as speed with
other substances, including baking soda or headache tablets and try to sell
them as ecstasy. Several deaths have been linked to the mixing of unknown
drugs.

Dylan Trump, who sells the East Test kits, told the BBC Radio 4 Today
programme: "We are not encouraging people to use the drug, merely providing
more information about the drugs they are taking."

But Jan Betts, the mother of Leah Betts who died in 1995 after taking
ecstasy on her 18th birthday, said Mr Trump's claims were "complete
nonsense" and "irresponsible".

Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"