Bigmouth Strikes Again: Carrie Marshall's blog

Going to the pub? You’ll need to pass a drugs test first

For crying out loud.

Pub-goers in Aberdeen are facing a drugs test before entering bars as part of a crackdown by Grampian Police.

Officers in the force will be the first in Scotland to use an Itemiser – a device which can detect traces of drugs from hand swabs in a matter of seconds.

The test is voluntary, but customers will be refused entry if they do not take part.

[Via Fark]

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Comments

0 responses to “Going to the pub? You’ll need to pass a drugs test first”

  1. andi

    hope the clean their own hands first, watch as pubs empty, both from the guilty not getting in and the innocent turning around and trying a different pub, the resulting complaints from publicans about the lost business, the increased drinking in the street/home

    are they really gonna stand outside every single pub, 2 or 3 officers by 100 pubs (don’t know just a guess) by 7 days thats about 7000 extra police hours in a week, all to nab a few junkies and dope heads

    i’d love to see them try that in glasgow

  2. Squander Two

    > all to nab a few junkies and dope heads

    Will they even manage that, though? Surely you’d need more evidence than a positive test on one of these devices to get a conviction, ’cause there are so many completely innocent ways to end up with traces of drugs on your hands. Presumably, they’ll use a positive test as an excuse to search you, but that’s not going to get them any results when they’ve given the public a heads-up: no-one’s going to be taking their drugs to the pub.

    I once had my DNA taken by the police ’cause I lived in Garnethill when Emily Mutch was murdered. They tested everyone. I don’t think I particularly objected, because they were actually investigating a serious crime that had taken place. But I do detest this new approach of just checking everyone’s guilt all the time, not because they’re investigating a particular crime, but just on the off-chance.

  3. Armin

    I still like this part most:

    “The test is voluntary, but customers will be refused entry if they do not take part.”

    Doesn’t sound very voluntary to me. But I can see the perfect strategy for muggers coming:

    “You can give me all your valuables voluntarily, but if you don’t I’m afraid I’ll have to beat you up.”

    “No, officer, I didn’t rob him. He gave me all his stuff voluntarily. Honest, guv!”

  4. Gary

    Maybe there’s more to the story and it’s going to be in pubs where there’s been trouble. But it’s still guilty until proven innocent.