A new product has come on the market to test drinks for three major date rape drugs. This is an increasing problem in many areas. The test kits includes coasters or test strips. You put on a drop of the drink into the test area using a swizzle stick, straw, or finger. The test area will change colour if there are drugs in the drink.

The product can be found at www.drinksafetech.com
Many universities are handing them out as part of the welcome pack. However, many bars and alcohol companies say they are not interesting in these products. Why these companies would not want to help protect their customers is beyond me.

I like the sound of that product. Some of the people dropping this crap into drinks just do it for fun and not even to rape. I have seen people have one or two drinks and be out of their minds and disoriented to the point that they couldnt walk, talk or stand. I doubt an ordinary glass of wine with dinner will do that. Never fails that there is always one clod in the place that will hurt others to get a laugh.

I think its a great idea! Although boo for charging so much for it.
1.25 to test 2 drinks! Too much.
Personally i think the liquor companies could pick up the tab for these. As a promo for drinking responsable *safe*. They don,t have a problem handing out t-shirts/sunglasses/coolies & what ever else they can think of of.
Or even our tax dollars at work could sponsor these. The goverment hands out free needles to the addicts & condoms.

Originally posted by 2batgirl I think its a great idea! Although boo for charging so much for it. 1.25 to test 2 drinks! Too much. Personally i think the liquor companies could pick up the tab for these. As a promo for drinking responsable *safe*. They don,t have a problem handing out t-shirts/sunglasses/coolies & what ever else they can think of of. Or even our tax dollars at work could sponsor these. The goverment hands out free needles to the addicts & condoms.

HUMMMMMMMMMM,,,let me think about this....paying an extra $1.25 to see if what I'm drinking is still the original drink....or getting sexually assaulted. I'll pay the extra......

My mom taught me since I was knee high to a grass-hopper...never leave any drink un-attended. If you really have to leave it...then get a new one when you come back. I've always heeded the advice....sure glad I did.

In my opinion, this product is a waste of money. If you don't leave your drink unattended and don't let anyone else bring/buy you a drink you don't see being made, you have no reason to buy it. I would never pay for it, definitely wouldn't want my tax dollars spent on it, and I think I'd rather have a free t-shirt!

You guys are funny. I guess I drink too much!
Good lord if I had to pay all that extra I,d have bigger holes in pockets than I already do in the mornings! A few pennies & lint.
As for getting a free drink, Line um up.
I know, I know. I shouldn,t be so trusting but its hard not to in small town. What do you do with your drink when you have to whiz? Suck it back before you go or chuck it on your return. If I asked my friends to *watch* my drink they would watch it dissapear into there glasses!

I think this company is capitalizing on women's fears Someone should invent a test kit for detecting "idiots" who would use such a drug in the first place

I dont know....If you are walking in a crowd and never set the drink down you may be lulled into a false sense of security..a drug could be tossed in. Actually, one of our local bartenders has been accused of putting the drug in drinks by 3 seperate girls. I dont know if it was while he was on or off duty though but that isnt what you would expect. I only take my drinks directly from the bartender and never from a stranger or someone I'm not with.

Originally posted by 2batgirl I shouldn,t be so trusting but its hard not to in small town. What do you do with your drink when you have to whiz? Suck it back before you go or chuck it on your return. If I asked my friends to *watch* my drink they would watch it dissapear into there glasses!

I guess I'm kind of at the same place you're at. When I went to clubs with a group of guys and gals, we all looked out for one another, although at that time, there was no such thing as a date rape drug.

Is it really that common and used so often? I was under the assumption that using date rape drugs was a fairly rare occurrence.

The rate for this crime is Ottawa while not huge - is growing. The problem is that once the girl wakes up - she remembers nothing, hence no description to give. So a lot of the women simply don't report it.

Mind you, the past couple of months, there been just under 10 cases that happened at/or near the same bar in Gatineau.....hence why the warnings have been much more frequent. Ottawa has had it's share too...but like I said, women feel stupid cause they cannot recall a thing...so they say nothing. It's very very sad.

Originally posted by snagglepuss The rate for this crime is Ottawa while not huge - is growing. Mind you, the past couple of months, there been just under 10 cases that happened at/or near the same bar in Gatineau.....hence why the warnings have been much more frequent. Ottawa has had it's share too..

Now thats alot, I never would have thought it was that frequent. Ugghh... thats just sick.....

I guess the only thing a female could do is go to her doctor if she suspects anything, but then I could understand her not going plus not reporting it to the police if she has no facts to work with.

They should throw the book at the creeps if they're caught. Ten in the same vicinity is outrageous. If I had a daughter going to clubs, I would probably buy the test for her. Pretty cheap price to pay, although not fool proof, I think the precaution would be worth it.

It was only a couple of months ago....two young girls (16 & 17)...underage may I add, were drinking at a Gatineau Bar. All of a sudden, one started getting violently ill,,,then her friend started too also. Well the Bartender didn't let em leave, he called for OAC (Ambulance). Turned out, they'd both been given the drug...but because the person put too much in their drinks, it made them terribly ill instead. Lucky for them.....

Then to top things off, our lovely local paper, The Citizen prints an article on how much is the right amount to administer it in...HELLO!!! Lots of people wrote in over that story. The story was about how, who ever is giving this drug must be precise in the amounts he gives, otherwise he'll just make the women sick. Apparently a tablespoon is too much they said....had to be more like a Teaspoon. It's like the Writer was giving directions to the Suspects......so dumb.

But those two girls ended up being ok...after their tum tums settled down.

I'm getting this I have two daughters and I figure 73/74 cents per drink for their safety is nothing. thanks for the info.