editorial comment The Logies? Might need to change that name :)

TELEVISION'S night of nights -- the prestigious Logies -- was awash with a disturbing array of illicit drugs, tests show.

The Sunday Herald Sun said drugs, including cocaine and speed, were found on 14 of 20 tests conducted at the glitzy event.
The dangerous stimulants had been cut with other substances, including flu drugs and caffeine.

The drug cocktails were discovered on samples taken from the bathrooms of the Crown Palladium room during last Sunday's gala event.

The glamour awards night was attended by about 1000 guests, including high-flying television industry stars, network executives and members of the media.

Scientific laboratory testing performed on the swabs found:

COCAINE on twelve of 13 samples taken in the men's bathroom.

SPEED (methamphetamines) on the three of the positive men's samples.

TWO of seven swabs taken in the female bathrooms were positive to cocaine -- the only drug found in the female rooms.

Three positive samples from the men's bathrooms showed a mix of cocaine, methamphetamines, codeine, paracetamol and pseudoephidrine and two showed cocaine with caffeine.

Cocaine was also discovered with paracetamol on another swab and codeine and paracetamol on the final positive test.

One round of testing was conducted during the awards presentation, followed by a second sweep as the ceremony ended.

The laboratory used the standard gas chromatography/mass spectrometry test to check for the substances.

The TV Week Logies were themed white, with guests arriving on a white carpet instead of red leading to the Palladium room.

Before being told of the test results, TV Week editor Emma Nolan denied there was widespread illegal drug use at the awards night.

"No not at all," Ms Nolan said.

"I didn't see anything like that at all. I know there were security guards in all the toilets."

She refused to comment on the swab results.

The investigation showed drug use was more prolific at the Logies than the AFL Brownlow Medal night and in Melbourne nightclubs, where similar studies were conducted by the Sunday Herald Sun last year.

The disturbing Logies discovery came only five weeks after one of the biggest names in Australian TV was entangled in a Melbourne drug bust.

The screen veteran was believed to have been trying to buy drugs when he arrived at a Docklands apartment where police seized amphetamines, steroids, $22,000 cash and a loaded pistol.

National Drug and Alcohol Foundation spokesman Paul Dillon said cocaine users were a mystery to researchers.

"We don't know about the cocaine market, particularly in the entertainment industry," he said.

Crown did not reply to requests for comment.

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