cannabisnews.com: DNA to Help Nab Drug Dealers Red-Handed! DNA to Help Nab Drug Dealers Red-Handed! Posted by FoM on August 04, 1999 at 16:10:58 PT Source: Fox News LONDON — A new test based on DNA science can tell if people have handled cannabis, but it is so sensitive that there are fears that innocent people could be incriminated, the New Scientist said on Wednesday. It said researchers had identified DNA sequences within the part of the plant cell responsible for photosynthesis — the chloroplast — which are specific to Cannabis Sativa and are not found in any other species.The discovery by researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow makes it possible to take a swab from someone's hands and test it for the cannabis DNA sequences."This test is as sensitive as you can ever get," Adrian Linacre, one of the inventors, told New Scientist. "Theoretically, it could pick up the presence of just one molecule of cannabis DNA."Because the test multiplies the amount of DNA, it works on minute samples, unlike existing techniques.But this acute sensitivity is causing concern.Chris Evans, of Surescreen Diagnostics which markets drug testing kits, said the test could easily trap the innocent."If you have been driving a second-hand car and a previous owner has been using cannabis, you could get enough on your hands to test positive," he told the magazine. Banknotes could also carry trace amounts of the drug.Linacre said he had calibrated the test so that only relatively large quantities of DNA gave positive results.He is now developing the test to detect the DNA profiles of different strains of cannabis, such as those grown in South Africa or Thailand."We will be able to use genetic evidence to link different batches of cannabis and trace them back to their original source," he said. 1.52 p.m. ET (1752 GMT) August 4, 1999 comments newsdigital.com© 1999, News America Digital Publishing, Inc. Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by mickey mouse on February 15, 2001 at 07:53:50 PT: where's the beef there is no proof dr linacre's notion even works. where is he published? all i have are fluff stories with the good doctors word that what he says is true. where is the research? i have checked us patent office and the uk patent office with no luck. maybe i should say i patented cold fusion. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on August 05, 1999 at 07:33:37 PT: Marijuana DNA Test Fears Voiced Boston GlobeBy Reuters, 08/05/99 http://www.boston.com/ONDON - A new test based on DNA science can tell if people have handled marijuana, but it is so sensitive that there are fears that innocent people could be incriminated, the New Scientist said yesterday.It said researchers had identified DNA sequences within the chloroplast, the part of the plant cell responsible for photosynthesis, that are specific to cannabis sativa, the plant name for marijuana, and that are not found in any other species. The discovery by researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow makes it possible to take a swab from someone's hands and test it for the cannabis DNA sequences.''This test is as sensitive as you can ever get,'' Adrian Linacre, one of the inventors, told New Scientist. ''Theoretically, it could pick up the presence of just one molecule of cannabis DNA.''Because the test multiplies the amount of DNA, it works on minute samples, unlike existing techniques.But this acute sensitivity is causing concern.Chris Evans, of Surescreen Diagnostics, which markets drug-testing kits, said the test could trap the innocent.''If you have been driving a second-hand car and a previous owner has been using cannabis, you could get enough on your hands to test positive,'' he told the magazine. Bank notes could also carry trace amounts of the drug.Linacre said he had calibrated the test so that only relatively large quantities of DNA gave positive results.He is developing the test to detect the DNA profiles of different strains of cannabis, such as those grown in South Africa or Thailand.''We will be able to use genetic evidence to link different batches of cannabis and trace them back to their original source,'' he said.This story ran on page A26 of the Boston Globe on 08/05/99. © Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 04, 1999 at 16:34:17 PT: New Scientist - The Dope On Dealers! August 7, 1999New Scientisthttp://www.newscientist.com/Joanna MarchantTHE DNA POLICE will soon be on the trail of dope dealers. A new swab test can reveal if suspects have handled cannabis. It's so sensitive that there are worries that innocent people could be incriminated. The DNA-based test, which will be described fully in a forthcoming edition of the journal Science and Justice, was developed at the forensic science unit at the University of Strathclyde. Researchers identified DNA sequences within the part of the plant cell responsible for photosynthesis--the chloroplast--that are specific to Cannabis sativa, but which are not found in any other species. The discovery makes it possible to test samples, such as a swab taken from someone's hands, for these sequences. The samples have to be sent to a lab, where the polymerase chain reaction is used to amplify the target sequences. If any are found, cannabis must be present. Because the patented test (WO 98 24929) multiplies the amount of DNA, it works on minute amounts of a sample, unlike existing techniques. "This test is as sensitive as you can ever get," says Adrian Linacre, one of its inventors at Strathclyde. "Theoretically, it could pick up the presence of just one molecule of cannabis DNA." This means a swab can be taken from a suspect's hands to see if they have been in contact with the drug, even if nothing is visible. However, Linacre says that he has calibrated the test so that only relatively large quantities of DNA give positive results, in an attempt to exclude those who have unknowingly been contaminated. But the threshold level is likely to be controversial. Chris Evans of Surescreen Diagnostics in Derby, a company that markets drug testing kits, says it would be easy for innocent people to be incriminated. "If you have been driving a second-hand car and a previous owner has been using cannabis, you could get enough on your hands to test positive," he warns. He also points out that many banknotes carry trace amounts of drugs (New Scientist supplement, 4 October 1997, p 2). Linacre is now developing the test to detect the DNA profiles of different strains of cannabis, such as those grown in South Africa or Thailand. "We will be able to use genetic evidence to link different batches of cannabis and trace them back to their original source," he says. The development of the cannabis DNA test follows that of a saliva test, by Oxfordshire-based Cozart, for a number of drugs including cannabis. Unlike the Strathclyde development, the saliva test is aimed at users rather than dealers, and is likely to be used by the police, sports governing bodies and employers (New Scientist, 29 May, p 11).From New Scientist, 7 August 1999 New Scientist - The Dope On Dealers! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: