In every college town in America, and anywhere there are bars, clubs, parties, etc., there is a chance that a date rape drug is in any drink.
Emergency personnel to receive training on effects of date rape drugsGamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), and how alcohol exacerbates symptoms such as seizures, apnea, and coma. An overdose of GHB in alcohol led to the double rape of AJ Januszczak, a Canadian woman living in Florida, in 1996. Paramedics found her near death after two strangers had spiked her cocktail with GHB. According to the Toronto Sun.
“I have a real problem with ‘date’ rape drugs because there is no date in it. GHB is a weapon.” “We’re not going to let women get away with it,” Januszczak said at a 2010 National Organization for Women conference in Palm Beach County, Florida..
Individual reports of drug-induced sexual assaults are abundant, but there are no sources that track their frequency. The most recent data on reported sexual assaults is Rape on college campus It may not necessarily be about dating, date rape, drugs, alcohol, etc., but it dates back to 2014. U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security Program reveal 100 universities with at least 10 rape cases reported on their main campusesRape prevention activists are quick to point out that many, if not most, rape cases go unreported on campuses and elsewhere.
“It’s estimated that one in five women experience sexual assault at college, which is completely unacceptable. We will support universities to improve their efforts to prevent and respond to sexual assault on campus.” Former President Barack Obama said in January 2014:.
From July 1, 2024, Kron 4 It was reported that California businesses with Type 48 licenses for the sale of beer, wine and liquor must provide drug testing kits and prominently post a notice that drug testing kits are available free of charge or for purchase.
For over five years now, developers and inventors have been working on developing a silver bullet that could alert potential victims that their drink has been laced with the popular date rape drug. There are coasters, cups, straws, nail polish, and even smart devices that could potentially reverse the trend in drug-assisted sexual assault. The following list of five detection gadgets covers the pros and cons of each, as well as the current status of each.
1. Test kits for GHB or ketamine available
The biggest advantage of this date rape drug detection gadget is Drink Safe Technologies, Tallahassee, Fla.;is available on the website, AmazonIt can be purchased and distributed by bars, schools, safety advocacy groups, community organizations and individuals.
The coasters can be stored in a purse or handbag and do not come into direct contact with beverages, meaning they do not require approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
How to use it may seem tricky, but according to the website, the coaster is heated by tapping or splashing the light and beverage twice, then leaving it for a few minutes to cool. GHB or Ketamine The accuracy of the results may be affected by user error or environmental factors.
DrinkSafe Coasters are Rohypnol or RoofieWhile this will be a drawback for some, Drinksafe’s Lance Norris said: NOVA in 2014 Roofie turns drinks blue and dissolves slowly. Another drawback is that pH is a factor in testing drinks like margaritas.
Put a lid on the cup
The first step to being safe is to watch as you pour and prepare your drink. The second is to cover the cup with your hand or a napkin. There are also many products available to cover cups and bottles that can help prevent poisoning from date rape drugs. Here are two highly rated products on Amazon: Nightcap And that Spike-proof drink cover.
- Reusable
- Worn on the wrist or in hair
- Preventing drugs from being mixed into drinks
- Hygienic pocket keeps cover clean
- Portable and reusable
- Spill prevention
- Easy to clean
California ABC Sign
California Assembly Bill 1013 requires this sign to be posted at establishments that serve alcoholic beverages on their premises. A PDF of the sign is available at California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
Other gadgets that never made it to market
Many entrepreneurs and inventors have proposed, prototyped, and publicized devices for detecting date rape drugs. Many have shown early promise, raised funding, and been widely covered in the news. Unfortunately, the following devices never made it to the market or are no longer available:
2. Nail polish that became a “shipping tip”
Four engineering students at North Carolina State University began developing a nail polish to detect date rape drugs in 2015. Their company, Undercover Colors, was named a startup to watch in 2016 by the North Carolina Technology Association.
Undercover Colors is, in theory, professional-grade wearable tech: When a user dips their manicured fingernails into a drink, the nail polish will change color if it contains a date rape drug.
but According to the Natural Health AllianceThis product is problematic because the chemicals it contains can come into contact with human skin and food, and the FDA has banned the sale of this and similar products.
The nail polish hasn’t been released yet, but the company has received funding from: $5.5 million Launched in November, the invention was even featured (though not by name) on the hit TV show “Modern Family,” according to the company’s Facebook page.
3. The cup was invented in 2012
After taking drugs one night out, Boston lawyer Michael Abramson developed Drinksavvy Drinkware, which continuously monitors beverages for date rape drugs. The company also developed straws that can detect GHB, ketamine and roofie.
Drink Savvy raised over $50,000 through a month-long crowdfunding campaign in 2012. According to CNN:The following year, Abramson told NBC Connecticut. The product will soon be available for sale to bars and individuals.
However, there is little information available on the company’s website or social media properties. Facebook “We expect to have it out by the end of this year, so thank you for your patience!” a fan commented in mid-2016. A company representative told Gov1 that the patent is in place and the FDA is OK with it, but the product is still in development. “It’s just a matter of very complex chemistry and R&D to get there,” Drink Savvy’s Brendan Walker said.
On July 10, 2019, the company changed its name to Chemeleon and was working on developing this nanotechnology to commercialize it as part of its portfolio. As of June 4, 2024, it appears that this product has never been brought to market.
4. Smart straw battle
DrinkSavvy isn’t the only company trying to bring a smart date-rape drug-detection straw to market. Three students at Gulliver Preparatory School in Pinecrest, Florida, Smart Straw It turns blue in the presence of the most common date-rape drug. The Straw Ladies, as they’re known, won the high school division of the 2017 Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge and are seeking patent protection.
But they may have some competition from a third team: An Israeli doctor and a chemist from Tel Aviv University have developed a color-changing stick that they presented at the 2011 Nano Conference. According to Science DailyIn a live demonstration of 50 drinks, some of which were laced with drugs, the pocket-sized device detected GHB and ketamine in 10-microliter samples with 100% accuracy, while the team was working to extend the technology to detect other date-rape drugs.
The non-toxic medium works with an optical sensor rather than an active chemical. The device is reusable and lights up or beeps, but there is no company website or detailed information on when or if the device will be produced. In 2012, the team announced that their smart straw invention Funding.
5. Personal Drinking Gadget
Called pd.id, the personal drinking gadget is about the size of a USB flash drive, and the Toronto team built it to be reusable, simple, and cost about $75. According to a closed crowdsourcing campaignRed and green LED lights let users know if their drink is safe, and it can even send an alert to your smartphone if your drink has been laced with drugs.
The device uses light to determine if date rape drugs are present and can be washed away with water.
The website is limited to a splash page, and the company’s social media properties have been relatively inactive since 2014, but Facebook page In December, they announced that they had just received two grants worth $45,000 from the Canadian Federal Government and the Ontario Provincial Government for further scientific research to bring this project to fruition!
This article was originally published and updated on December 26, 2019.