Pubdate: Thu, 25 Oct 2007
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Cheryl Chan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

DRUG TEST LETS PARENTS CHECK UP ON KIDS

For $64.99 US, Hair Sample Is Sent To U.S. With Promise Of Results 
Online In 48 Hours

Big Brother isn't watching, but Big Mother (or Father) is.

Parents can already use GPS tracking devices in cars or cellphones to 
monitor their teens' whereabouts, and online monitoring tools to 
track their kids' Internet usage.

Now an American company is marketing a home drug-testing kit to 
parents who suspect their teen is up to no good.

For $64.99 US, HairConfirm can let parents know within 48 hours if 
their teen is using drugs.

"It can test for seven different drugs -- including amphetamines, 
cocaine, ecstacy, PCP and marijuana," said Confirm BioSciences CEO 
Zeynep Ilgaz, whose San Diego-based company posted revenues last year 
of $2.6 million.

The one-time-use kit provides an accurate drug history of up to 90 
days, including frequency of use, said Ilgaz.

"It can tell if the person is experimenting, if they're a 
recreational user or addicted to it."

About 30 to 40 strands of hair -- "it doesn't mattered if it's 
coloured, dirty or has gel in it" -- are needed. A lab in Ohio 
analyzes the hair molecules and results are posted online within two 
business days.

The kit -- which includes a hair-collection foil and a hair-specimen 
pouch -- comes with prepaid postage within the United States. 
Canadian users need to pay for their own postage.

The product, which debuted in June, has sold more than 3,000 kits 
online. The company has signed deals with Kmart and Amazon.com and is 
in talks with Canadian retailers.

Although HairConfirm is aimed at parents, Ilgaz said it has been 
unexpectedly popular in the workplace.

"We have employers using it to test their employees and employees 
testing themselves first before they seek employment [in the U.S.]."

Ilgaz stresses the kit isn't meant to be a substitute for 
parent-child communication.

"[Parents] should tell their kids and they can tell their friends, 'I 
can't do drugs. I'm being drug-tested.' "

Vancouver psychologist Janice Ebenstiner said such devices can act as 
deterrents, but she would not recommend using them without the teen's 
knowledge.

"It's the parent's job to monitor, but it needs to be open and 
discussed," she said. "Trust has to be built. It's better than having 
to spy on your kids."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom