Posted on 06/16/2005 6:56:56 PM PDT by gd124
THE efficiency of a high-tech drug-testing machine unveiled in Britain was amply proven when the government minister showing it off tested positive for cannabis. Edwina Hart, social justice minister in the semi-autonomous regional government of Wales, was found to have been in contact with the drug after having a hand swab analysed by the Ion Track narcotics machine.
William Graham, a member of the Welsh Assembly, who had arranged for police to demonstrate the machine at the Assembly building, also tested positive for cannabis.
However, the politicians were keen to stress that such was the power of the device, positive results could easily come from so-called "cross contamination", for example by touching cash or a door handle previously handled by a drugs user. Advertisement:
"You could pick it up from anywhere couldn't you?" Hart said.
"I can't think where I could have got it from," added Graham.
The Ion Track machine can detect minute traces of drugs, or explosives, several days after someone has come into contact with them, even if they have washed their hands.
Police explained later that while a positive test could not be used as evidence in court, it could help police to target people to search or question.
Yeah, suuuure.
Thanks for posting, i'm sitting here laughing my ass off!!!
HA HA! You got busted!
4 years ago at the US pennitentiary in leavenworth they tried out a similar device on visitors coming to visit inmates due to drugs being found after visits. They made up the rule that anyone testing positive would be denied entry and visits would be cancelled. After 2 days use, the program was scrapped due to no visits being allowed and a threatened inmate uprising. the machine worked too good, most people dont realize that all used bills have been contaminated by drug users at some point.
You would think that they could put a squelch-type device on the machine if it was too sensitive. They probably will have it on the "new and improved" version.
so what good is it? If it can't distinguish between 'casual contact' and real users....
So the Constitution can be done away with, everyone is now a proven suspect. Instant probable cause!!
...from the article:
it could help police to target people to search
Obviously it does exactly what they want. They can pull it out and get probable cause to search anyone. The perfect law enforcement tool.
ping
Well duh. "Casual contacts" are reserved for politicians, the elite, and their offspring. "Real users" are everybody else.
Duuuuuuude I mean, Duuuuuuuuude (sniff, sniff), that's some baaaadaasssed weeed Duuuuuude.
That way they can crank up the gain for 'the usual suspects'....
Wouldn't it be a hoot to drug test congress?
You'd think they'd be the first to pony up. But for some reason, they ain't volunteering.
Even funnier would be ponyin' up their kidlin's. There was just a report on tv about some study of cannabis usage in citys. It said it generally followed colleges. The 'highest' was Boston! SF and noCal were in the top ten. I don't recall what they said, but I think Boston was around 18% and Iowa was around 3%. I wonder what the percentage of politicians kids would be? I'd guess somewhere around 90%.
I remember a case several years ago where a guy was pulled over and the cop did a field test for drugs and found the guys money contaminated with coke so he arrested him. At trial, as part of his defense his lawyer got several bills from the arresting officers wallet and the judges, all of which tested positive. Regardless the man was convicted. I know it went to appeal but don't know how it turned out.
As the technology improves we all become at a greater risk of wrongful arrest and conviction.
There is not a single person reading this thread who would not test positive for drug contamination.
The WOD has long been out of control.
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