New Police Method Can Detect Cocaine and Possibly Other Drugs via Fingerprinting

Police will soon have the ability to test people for cocaine use via their fingerprints within seconds — even when users have washed their hands.

The entire concept sounds crazy, but the “breakthrough” drug test designed by scientists in the Netherlands/UK say it’s 99 percent accurate. Although the test is specifically working with cocaine at this time, researchers also believe the same method could be used to detect other drugs.

In attempt to be less invasive than blood, saliva, or urine samples, this procedure detects chemicals within people’s sweat that is generated as cocaine is metabolized.

Dr Melanie Bailey of Surrey University provides insight on the fingerprinting test: “This is a real breakthrough in our work to bring a real time, non-invasive drug-testing method to the market that will provide a definitive result in a matter of minutes – we are already working on a 30-second method.”

“And, as with previous methods we have developed, it is non-invasive, hygienic and can’t be faked – by the nature of the test, the identity of the subject, and their drug use, is all captured within the sample itself.”

H/T: MixMag | Source: Independent