AN ecstasy tester kit that identifies deadly batches of the party drug has been banned from use. E-Z Test kits, which cost $55 at several Brisbane stores are regularly used at rave parties to test the quality of ecstasy tablets. A drug-user support group wants the State Government to allow the use of E-Z Tests to stop the flow of dangerous drug batches. But Queensland Health has rejected the proposal, saying the kits give a false impression of safety. [continues 255 words]
A DANGEROUS new drug cocktail is set to hit the Gold Coast ahead of Schoolies Week. Crank, a potentially fatal mixture of cocaine and amphetamines or heroin, is expected to be on sale at Schoolies celebrations next week. Teenagers are being warned to stay away from the drug, which has unknown side-effects and could prove fatal, especially when combined with alcohol. Crank sells for between $50 and $100 for up to three hits and can be injected, snorted or smoked. [continues 481 words]
MILITARY personnel will be forced to undergo random drug tests, despite claims they are unreliable and fail to reduce drug use. An Australian Defence Force internal report slammed random urine sampling for drugs as extremely unreliable and the ADF could be swamped with long and expensive legal challenges because of false results. In May, the ADF announced plans to force 50,000 full time employees and 77,000 reservists to submit random urine samples. Tests would cost $15. Samples would be tested for cannabis, amphetamines, opiates and barbiturates. [continues 211 words]
