THE police’s latest tool to combat cocaine use is to be welcomed.

A flashlight which illuminates traces of the drug bright green is a very simple idea.

But the devices will enable police in Blackburn, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale to know who has been using the drug.

Before now, officers and door staff have had to rely on their judgment when determining if a person is on cocaine.

The flashlight has already been used in Blackburn and police have gone on to buy a further 15 to be used across East Lancashire.

If cocaine users know that they may be stopped from entering pubs and clubs, they may think twice before taking the drug.

Many people think that taking cocaine is a harmless activity, a matter of personal choice.

But there is a reason why it is classified as a class A drug.

Cocaine is highly addictive and can ruin lives. It can cause heart failure, convulsions and breathing difficulties.

It changes people’s personality and can bring on paranoia and aggression.

Cocaine is also responsible for a number of social ills including links with gun crime and gang violence.

If the flashlight helps to reduce cocaine use in East Lancashire, it will be well worth the relatively modest cost.