Has your drink been spiked?

2003-12-09 12:23

Tisha Steyn

Cape Town - Now you can test whether your drink has been spiked within seconds.

An Australian company has developed a device, called the Drink Spike Detector (DSD), that instantly tests whether a date rape drug has been added to a drink.

The DSD is also available from pharmacies throughout South Africa.

Drink Safe Technologies developed the credit-card sized device that tests for the presence of the two most popular date rape drugs: gamma-hydroxide-butyric acid or GBH (also known as Fantasy, Liquid Ecstacy and Grievous Bodily Harm), and Ketamine, (also known as Special K, Kitty Kat or K).

The Drink Spike Detector was launched in Australia six months ago and is used to help prevent the use of date rape drugs.

Date rape drugs render a victim either unconscious or, if conscious, unable to protect herself from being raped or assaulted.

Most often, victims cannot remember afterwards what happened to them. It is almost impossible to prosecute the rapist, because traces of the drugs disappear from the bloodstream quickly.

Colourless, odourless and tasteless

Previously, the colourless, odourless and tasteless drugs have been almost impossible to detect.

GBH can be detected in the urine up to 12 hours after the drug was taken.

It replaced an earlier favourite, Rohypnol, which could still be traced in the urine up to 72 hours later.

But because the victims have no recollection of what had happened to them, they don't report the cases or get to a hospital to have their urine tested.

The DSD contains a patented technology which changes colour when in contact with liquid spiked with GHB or Ketamine.

The test takes only seconds and is as easy as placing a couple of drops from your drink onto the active tests spots. This can be done with a straw, a swizzle stick or finger.

The Pharmaceutical Society's Drugwise campaign warns women on a date or at a club, never to leave a drink alone. If you need to go to the toilet, have a friend watch your drink while you're gone. Party with a group of friends, and stick together.

A student advises: "Always order a drink that comes in a bottle or tin that you can open yourself. Even tins are suspect, because it is easy to insert a syringe needle into a thin can. And don't accept 'free drinks' from strangers."

- News24