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On-the-spot tests fail to nail clubbers' chemical cocktails

18 September 2004

PILL-TESTING kits that clubbers use to identify drugs in the pills they take can fail if the pills contain a cocktail of drugs.

The kits contain reagents that change colour depending on the substances in the pill. Although all the drugs being tested for are illegal, police in the UK and Canada allow volunteer groups to carry out pill testing at clubs and raves as part of “harm-minimisation” schemes. At a recent rave in South Australia attended by about 10,000 people, volunteers tested 84 pills with the kits. The pills were also sent to Andrew Camilleri of Forensic Science South…

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