DRUGS CZAR SAYS ECSTASY TEST GIVES FALSE CONFIDENCE

"Kit already sold by Green Party does not give full picture on safety,
REPORTS ADAM FRESCO"

A KIT that allows drug-users to test the purity of Ecstasy tablets was
yesterday condemned as an "immoral money making venture" by the head of the
Government's anti-drugs campaign.

Promoters of the E-Z Test, which they hope to sell to clubgoers for A35,
said that it would not encourage drug use but would help to protect those
already taking the drug.

The Green Party, which has been selling the kits by mail-order since
December, said they were part of a more "enlightened" approach to drug-taking.

However, Keith Hellawell, leader of the Government's anti-drugs strategy,
said that the "extremely crude" kits suggested that it was safe to take the
drug. Even a pure Ecstasy tablet could kill, he said, so if the test showed
that a tablet was not contaminated it could still be life-threatening.
"Therefore, the kit is building a false confidence. It's immoral and just a
crude measure for money-making," Mr Hellawell said.

He is to ask the Government how a Brighton-based company, called E-Z Test,
obtained a licence to sell the kits. They were first sold in The
Netherlands, where tablets are routinely tested in clubs. Users take a
scraping of the tablet and mix it with a liquid before matching the results
to a swatch of seven colours to identify the contents.

Dylan Trump, of E-Z Test, admitted that Ecstasy could contain harmful
substances even if the test were negative. "We are not saying Ecstasy is a
safe drug; all drugs have a health risk. But we are providing people with
more information than they had before.

"I do not know how it can be called immoral as it is a harm-reduction
programme. It is all about individual choice." The equipment is sold over
the Internet and by mail order.

The Green Party was "outraged" that the test had been described as immoral.
Shane Collins, party spokesman on drugs, said: "The 'just say no' campaign
is just not working. It should be just say 'know'. We need a more
enlightened view about drug-taking."

* A student died after taking the antidepressant Prozac and LSD. Christian
Hurley, 20, had been taking Prozac for several months when he and some
friends decided to use the hallucinogenic drug. He started convulsing and
later died.

Colin McCormick, who conducted a post-mortem examination, told an inquest
in Reading: "LSD itself is not toxic. There are approximately ten cases of
adverse effects in people using Prozac and LSD."

Dr Joe Pim, East Berkshire Coroner, recorded a verdict of accidental death
on Mr Hurley, a psychology student at Reading University. The inquest was
told that Mr Hurley had taken LSD before while on Prozac, with no ill-effect.

A 19-year-old friend of Mr Hurley has been charged with supplying LSD and
cannabis.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski