Australian drug tests show 40% of 'official cocaine' had no cocaine | Hacker News Reader

Australian drug tests show 40% of 'official cocaine' had no cocaine

anu.edu.au

Would that affect conviction sentences? Like, if i'm actually selling sugar instead of cocaine but pretending it to be cocaine.

IDK about Australian law, but in the US, no.

In Australia, no.

Let’s say you’re an undercover cop, and I sell you what I say is 3g of cocaine, but turns out there is only 0.1g in there. I’ll still be charged and convicted on the 3g.

If I sell .1g cocaine I have still committed the regular version of the crime though. Its just that we measure drugs as a final product not the amount of the active ingredient because drug sellers/buyers don’t have a great way to measure that. On the other hand if I sell powdered sugar as cocaine I have committed a different offense.

“a substance (not being a prohibited drug) which, for the purpose of its being supplied, is represented (whether verbally, in writing or by conduct) as being a prohibited drug or a specified prohibited drug, for the purposes of this Act and the regulations, be deemed to be a prohibited drug or the specified drug, as the case requires.”

Nope. Claiming that the 3g of powdered sugar is cocaine? You’re getting done with supply.

Easy. Then we just sell the cocaine while claiming it is powdered sugar. Worst case we get booked for sale of food items without a license.

I believe that fraud charges would be in order.

But they don't say what it contained...

> including finding methamphetamine that was actually sugar

Probably research chemicals or amphetamine

What does "70 health interventions were made" mean?

A health intervention is usually any action taken to increase the health of the subject.

In this case, I think they're talking about referring people to rehab or other treatment for substance abuse.

This testing absolutely cannot be done in the USA: the drug laws and the prevailing puritanical attitudes would deem such testing to be promoting drug abuse.

Test kits are available online for almost any drug.

Sure. And you get an individual result. One result. This Australian government program covers a large number of samples therefore yielding a picture of the entire drug supply. Further, the data is available to more than the individual. An individual drug test can make one person more informed. This program makes all of us more informed.

I would have guessed a much higher number

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