'Drugalyser' firm comes to market

A COMPANY that has created the equivalent of a breathalyser to test drivers for narcotics today floated on the stock market.

Cozart's RapiScan tester, launched by brothers Dr Christopher Hand and Philip Hand, works by taking a quick saliva swab and gives a result on five of the most common drugs in three-to-12 minutes.

Today, the brothers are floating £6.8m of Cozart shares on the junior Aim market in a move valuing the company at £27m. The £5.3m raised will be spent on building its presence in Europe and investing in further research into applications for the RapiScan.

Cozart won a contract with the Home Office in October last year to use RapiScan on suspects arrested on suspicion of certain 'trigger' crimes such as robbery or burglary and class A drug dealing. Its ability to detect cocaine, crack and heroin is likely to be widely used under the Government's Criminal Justice Intervention Programme.

RapiScan can also test for amphetines, cannabis and ecstasy. Its use could explode if, as many predict, the CJIP is extended below the 18-year-old minimum to juveniles

Meanwhile, in Italy and Australia, pilot studies are in place on roadside testing of drivers. Similar experiments are due to launch soon in Croatia and Poland.

Further potential markets include use by doctors in treatment of addicts, and in the workplace, where drug screening is becoming increasingly common.