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New "Meth Gun" Not as Cool as it Sounds

Courtesy of Pete Guither at DrugWarRant comes this terrifying story.

From CNET News:

A new "meth gun," in development by Maryland-based CDEX, enables police to use ultraviolet light to detect trace amounts of chemicals left by methamphetamines and other illegal drugs.

Civil libertarians have been concerned for some time that drug war profiteers would begin marketing something like this. Of course, the obvious problem with this type of technology is that it will inevitably be wrong sometimes.

More likely, it will be right way too often. Drug molecules are ubiquitous. Take for example the rumor that 80% of U.S. currency contains cocaine residue. It’s actually true.

So if your lifestyle involves touching money periodically, the "meth gun" might catch you red-handed.

Here's a hilarious example of the uselessness of this technology:

From BBC News last year:
A Welsh assembly member who called for his colleagues to volunteer to try out a new drug detection machine has tested "positive" for cannabis himself. Swabs taken from Conservative AM William Graham's hands at the Welsh assembly building revealed traces of the drug, probably from a door handle.

I think that pretty much says it all. It should be obvious to anyone who isn’t drunk on drug war hysteria that this technology can’t reasonably be used as a means of establishing probable cause to search people.

But alas, it would be foolish to expect that logic will prevail over insanity among those who build and operate creepy drug war machines that spot meth with ultraviolet lasers. Inevitably, police agencies will stock up on "meth guns," and it will be up to the courts to decide whether the device passes constitutional muster.

It might destroy the 4th Amendment forever, but there’s no question the "meth gun" would make a totally sweet membership gift.

Afterthought: remember the "meth rocket"?

Location: 
United States
Permission to Reprint: This article is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license.
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Meth gun

Perhaps it should detect how potent the meth is too. That way the discriminating meth connesouir can be sure to not get ripped off. Dealers could "gun" their stash to prove its worth. Or, even better, addicts can make sure to always find that last crumb on the floor. That's just what we need, a bunch of addicts running around with gun-like objects. Awesome. I feel safer already.

Meth Gun

This is stupid and outrageous. Another morbid realisation of how our tax dollars are being wasted. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. If we focused even HALF the funds that we are spending on these fruitless enterprises, on the PEOPLE of this country (treatment, harm reduction methods, legalising seemingly innocuous substances, such a Marijuana) we would have safer schools, safer streets, and this country would be a better place to live. Now, even Europe is starting to complain about how draconian our laws are regarding drug policy. The rest of the world is laughing at us, along with me. Grow up, America!

Meth Gun

I believe that "probable cause" to search is where the legal implications and constitutional sticky points come in regarding this. Not to worry we Americans will be more than willing to give up another civil right if the government tells us that people who use drugs are terrorists. After all if you have nothing to hide, what is the problem? The problem is, one day we might discover that we all have something or another to hide and that something could be used against us by mistake or by abuse of power.

America, put down your charge cards, stop self medicating with the latest gadget and wake up It is just a matter of time before the "i-thought gun" is released and if our thoughts are not in line with the corporate-political structure..

Thought Gun??

Dang, I hope we never have to cope with a thought gun!!

I would get me face slapped 30 times a day....or get more offers than I could cope with...

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