Coasters that test for date rape drugs
By Dr. Charlie Glickman • Oct 14th, 2009 • Category: BlogFrom nbcdfw.com via Feministing
It makes me really angry that there’s a need for this, but I’m glad it exists.
There have been a few products coming out lately that make it easy to test your drinks for date rape drugs. Since such drugs are easy to add to someone’s drink and they generally are metabolized quite quickly, they’re hard to avoid and it’s hard to prove what happened.
But now there’s a coaster available that includes two test spots on the corners. Put a drop of your drink on it with your finger or a straw and it changes color if your drink has been spiked. Instructions are on the back and you can get them customized with your bar or fraternity logo. They’re not too expensive at 40 cents each, either. They’re made by Drink Safe Texas and they also sell plastic covers you can put on a beer or liquor bottle to keep anyone from dropping stuff into it.
It’s a really inexpensive way to keep yourself safe in an unfortunately scary world. Two thumbs up for Drink Safe Texas!
Dr. Charlie Glickman >> Dr. Charlie Glickman has been working at Good Vibrations since 1996, when he joined the staff at our Berkeley store. Currently, he is our Education Program Manager and (among other things) runs our in-store After Hours workshop program, our Off-Site Sex Education Program, trains our Sex Educator-Sales Associates and writes copy for our website. In 2005, Charlie received his doctorate in Adult Sexuality Education from the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition, he offers classes on sexuality for psychotherapists and workshops on teaching for sex educators.
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Wow! I had no idea there were products like this. I am happy I found this post. I had a friend that was the victim of a date rape drug.
That is a great product. But what are the drugs it test for. How many date rape drugs are there?
Really scary for us girls.
Kayla
It’s important to read the fine print:
(from their website)
“[The coasters] are designed to pick up the statistically most prevalent drugs, ketamine and GHB.”
Which means they do NOT pick up Rohypnol (”roofies”).
I worry these products might give someone a false sense of security. It’s better to just watch your drink.
@ Holden – I agree that the absolute best defense is to continually watch your drink, better yet, never leave your home or enter a bar.
There is a reason why “Roofies” are not included in the test. Rohypnol was reformulated making it less water soluble and they added blue dye. This move was in direct response to the abuse of their drug in date-rape scenarios. It has made the drug less attractive since it is harder to diguise it in a drink.
GHB and Ketamine, on the other hand, are colorless, odorless and (nearly) tasteless. GHB is easily manufactured and often carried in a Visine bottle.
While it’s true that they don’t check for everything, the logic that they shouldn’t be used is tanatamount to saying that you shouldn’t bother locking your car since thieves can get into it, anyway. Why bother putting anti-virus programs on your computer since hackers are continually creating new ones that bypass existing software? Doesn’t THAT provide a false sense of security?
I’m not trying to negate your point, people SHOULD watch their drinks closely. This is merely a tool that mainly performs two functions, heightens awareness and discourages the activity. The fact that it is imperfect simply puts it in the same category as the afore-mentioned analogies. The most determined criminals are always going to find a way around anything.
I think the intentions of all this are good, but in reality, there is more fear here at play than substance.
Fear, as we all should know is at the top of the emotional motivation chart. “Sex sells” is certainly true, but “Fear sells” is more common and far more easier to manipulate with regard to the accuracy, or the liklihood of the harm that is at the root of our fear. And further, fear tends to squelch ones exuberence or willingness to enjoy oneself, whereas with sex…well, enjoyment and pleasure-seeking motivations are intrinsic to it.
People often forget that the drink, the alcohol/ethanol constituent, is the most prevalent of date rape drugs. It’s just that we all know what happens to our judgment or our memory when we drink. And familiarity breeds apathy.
Ketamine and GHB are not some magical elixirs that transform someone into a sex-robot. Much like alcohol, they lower your inhibitions and your judgment.
However, as the poster above mentions, rophyenol does pose a unique threat, because it induces a state of amnesia. Which means you could be actively verbally or physically fighting off a sexual predator, and when the drug wears off, you won’t remember a thing.
Bottom line (in my opinion): Be smart. Be aware. Do your own homework if you want to know the facts about anything, research it yourself.
Because the media (and other “authorities” on a topic) will guiltlessly create a far greater fear or panic over something than is justified. They will skew the perspective. They will gain and you will lose. It saddens me that someone might suggest (as another poster did) that you stay indoors altogether.