Pubdate: Sun, 07 May 2000 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2000 The Province Contact: 200 Granville Street, Ste. #1, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N3 Canada Fax: (604) 605-2323 Website: http://www.vancouverprovince.com/ Page A13 Author: Kathy Tait FREE TESTING TELLS AUSTRIAN RAVERS WHAT'S IN THE DRUGS Austria Is Trying To Cut The Risk Of Harm - And Death - At Raves. Armed with a hi-tech computer-controlled mobile lab, teams of chemists and social workers in the European country are offering free drug testing at raves of 5,000 or more youths. The project - Check It! - is the first in the world to offer analysis that differentiates several hundred different substances and measures their strength and the presence of any contaminants. In B.C., Dance Safe, a volunteer group of youths, hands out drug information at some raves and sells small test kits - but not ones that identify side products or purity. Austrian officials say they think the project has saved some lives and has reduced emergency admissions. Here's how it works: People voluntarily bring drugs to a tent where each tablet or capsule is weighed, photographed and a small amount scraped off. Usually one youth will bring all his group's drugs for analysis. Within 15 minutes, the results are posted by the anonymous client's number. Because no one on the team touches any drug or takes possession of the entire pill, the operation is not accused of handing over drugs. About half the people who have their drugs analysed take less when they know what's in the pills - and seven per cent take more. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake