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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Welcome for club drugs clampdown
The Express and Star Monday 25 Aug 2003 Police staged a high-profile blitz in the war against drugs in Lichfield when they tested revellers for cannabis, cocaine and heroin as they entered nightspots. The clampdown - in which swabs from people's hands are tested by a machine for signs of drugs - has been welcomed by revellers and landlords. A new £40,000 machine called an Iontrack can detect substances like cannabis, cocaine and heroin from a simple swab from the palm of a hand. Police were in action for Operation Vampire Plus in the city centre on Saturday night. They were using the detector to pick out drug users. Revellers visiting the two most popular venues, Joott and Lloyds No 1, were asked to put themselves up for testing by the machine. Police were joined for the evening by Pc Andy Whitehall, who operates the machine. At Joott new manager Nick Pennington, who has more than 12 years experience in the licensing trade, said: "I welcome on board any anti drug policy and I think it will help clean up the city," he said. He would expect around 600 people to come and go during a Saturday night. "A few might be a bit hesitant about coming in with the police presence but I don't think its a bad thing." Joott, which celebrated its fourth birthday yesterday, currently has the reputation of being the safest in the city. Pc Dean Cooper, of the Community Action Team, said: "We see it as the flagship, the pub to judge other pubs by." Ian Pepper, a 39-year-old sales manager on a night out, said: "It's a good idea. Anything that cuts down on drugs has got to be good and I don't regard it as an infringement of my rights. "The people who object are going to be those who take drugs and we don't want to see them around anyway." Resident Tracey Setchell was also supportive of the initiative. "I think it's excellent. It's very good to see a police presence too." Lloyds duty manager Gareth Evans described the scheme as brilliant. "It can only be good for the city. Nobody wants drugs on their premises and we are working completely with the police." Saturday's initiative followed an earlier sweep of city centre pubs with the machine which revealed that cocaine was becoming the trendy drug among the wealthy Lichfield residents.
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