Pubdate: Sat, 18 Dec 2004
Source: Yorkshire Post (UK)
Copyright: 2004 Yorkshire Post Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://yorkshirepost.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2239
Author: William Green, Political Correspondent
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)

CONTROVERSY OVER X-RAY SCANS FOR DRUG DEALERS

'Degrading' Plans Under Attack

THE Government yesterday came under fire over new measures to combat drugs 
- - including controversial plans to X-ray dealers previously thought to have 
been dropped.

Civil rights group Liberty attacked "degrading" plans in which dealers who 
swallow drug supplies to hide them from police could be ordered to have 
X-rays or ultrasound scans. The idea was apparently dropped in September 
because of doubts about the quality of evidence.

Tory Shadow Hom

Drug-dealing near a school or using children as couriers would become 
aggravating factors in sentencing, while yobs committing anti-social 
behaviour will have to undergo drugs assessment.

The Bill also clarifies the illegal status of hallucinogenic magic 
mushrooms in their freshly-picked form, to bring them into line with dried 
specimens.

People caught with more drugs than reasonable for personal use will be 
presumed to be dealers and face tougher sentences, while police will be 
able to test suspects for Class A drugs before they are charged - although 
it will cost UKP 10.8m a year.

Mr Davis, Tory MP for Haltemprice and Howden, said: "The Drugs Bill has a 
number of good measures which we will support but this alone won't be 
enough to tackle the problem of drugs, of which Labour has lost control. 
The Government's flagship drug treatment and testing programme is failing 
and there is nothing in this Bill to improve them.

"We want to send a strong message to society - drugs are dangerous and we 
need to discourage people from using them."

A spokesman for the Streetwise Trust drugs charity, Philip Ball, said more 
money should be spent on treatment to help remove the "customer base" of 
drug dealers. The charity wants to develop a detoxification centre at a 
former island fort in the Humber Estuary and needs around UKP 1.2m to open.

Mr Ball said: "All these ideas are good but the fact is that many other 
initiatives have failed or had very limited success because we still have a 
problem that is bigger than it was 15 years ago.

"Sadly, it is all talk and spin because there is no real money in the bank 
that can be spent by agencies such as us, or the job is passed to 
organisations that are overwhelmed with other duties.Drugs minister 
Caroline Flint said: "The Drugs Bill will introduce further powers for 
police to drug-test suspected addicts on arrest so our drug intervention 
programme can get more people off drugs and away from crime. "Dealers will 
face harsher sentences when they prey on children or attempt to escape 
justice by swallowing the evidence."

The Home Office also insisted plans to X-ray suspects had never been 
dropped. It said X-rays were already used by Customs and Excise and would 
put more drug dealers behind bars.

For X-rays or ultrasounds to take place, a suspect must give consent in 
writing - although it will count against them in court if they refuse. The 
procedure must be carried out by a qualified person at a hospital, a 
registered surgery or "some other place used for medical purposes".

Magistrates would also be able to remand suspected swallowers of drug 
packages in police custody for up to 192 hours, so the substances can pass 
through their system - mirroring powers already available to Customs 
officers. The new offence of aggravated supply of drugs outside schools 
refers to their "vicinity", to be defined at a later stage.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager