|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
UK: Drugs testing machine shocks councillors
Borhamwood & Elstree Times, Hertfordshire
Wednesday 01 Oct 2003 A police drugs testing machine caused shock and awe when it picked up traces of cannabis during a voluntary test on Hertmere Council Leader Neil Payne. The councillor was at Hertsmere Primary Care Trust's annual health fair in Elstree, where the police had set up a mobile drugs testing machine, capable of detecting the tiniest traces of drugs. Councillor Chris Dawes also tested positive for traces of cannabis, along with a several other people considered highly unlikely to use drugs. The machine is extremely sensitive, and can pick up traces of drugs left by a handshake, or passed on from a banknote handled by a person using drugs. After the event Mr Payne said: "I can assure you that I have never tried cannabis, and I have never smoked. It does not appeal to me." Inspector Dave Rankin said the machine often gave out "false positive readings", where people with no involvement in drugs provided positive readings, because they had innocently picked up minute traces of drugs. When we do an event with this piece of equipment, on average, we could have half a dozen people prove positive. We would not draw any conclusion from it." At the health fair traces of drugs were even found on a seven-year-old girl.
After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.
|
This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.
Feel free to link to this page!