Newcastle Students' Union to sell drug-testing kits
The kits will tell you if your drugs are safe
Newcastle university students' union is to sell drug-testing packs to its students – not to test them for drugs – but to test the drugs themselves.
The single use tests require students to use a small amount of their drugs, and a colour comparison chart to give an indication as to what the substances actually contain.
The £7 kits, subsidised to £3 for students, will be available from the students’ union.
There are two tests included: one for MDMA and one for ketamine, but they can be used together to get an idea of what other nasties your drugs might contain.
This new policy for Newcastle SU comes a month after a 17 year old died in Manchester after taking a ‘Mastercard’ ecstasy pill, and the deaths of four people in Shropshire after taking ‘Superman’ pills last year.
Ecstasy, Cocaine and Ketamine can be cut with sugar, rat poison and washing powders, or more seriously, can contain high concentrations of far more dangerous compounds related to main component.
The ‘Superman’ pills were found to contain high doses of PMMA, which is toxic in far lower doses than ecstasy. The kits being sold in Newcastle can differentiate between these two substances.
The idea has been pushed by the Students for Sensible Drug Policy group at Newcastle, who earlier this year petitioned the university to change its ruling on students found with drugs in halls for the first time.
Instead of an immediate fine and eviction, students found with illegal drugs in university accommodation are now given a second chance, as long as they were not caught doing it again.
