NEW RULES TO MAKE 'PEE PATROL' HISTORY

Drink Tampering To Become More Difficult

At The Room nightclub in Windsor, security staff guards the entrances
of washrooms to ensure patrons leave their drinks at a table outside
the door before they do their business.

"We call them the pee patrol," owner Mark Boscariol says wryly.
However, new provincial legislation that kicked in recently will
allow patrons at licensed establishments to take their drinks into
such areas as washrooms, stairwells and hallways.

"It's about time," says Boscariol. "It will benefit bars and improve
the safety of our customers."

Under Liquor Licence Act changes, bar owners can obtain a new
"enhanced" licence designed to protect women from having their drinks spiked.

Date rape drugs are a big danger, says Paul de Zara, spokesman for
Government Services Minister Gerry Phillips.

"The old law dates back to the 1940s when you couldn't allow liquor
in hallways and bathrooms. Why? I don't know," says de Zara.

Today, the threat of date rape drugs is a serious public issue,
particularly in larger cities, like Toronto, he adds. "Before we
changed this, we had police and a lot of bars telling us that this
was an issue every night; that women were being exposed to spiked drinks."

In Windsor, the problem appears less pervasive, says Staff Sgt. Ed
McNorton, spokesman for Windsor Police Services. "We have
investigated complaints in the past, but they are rare."

As well, greater awareness of the problem has made consumers "more
savvy" when it comes to protecting their drinks from tampering, says McNorton.

Matt Kosma, owner of two downtown bars, agrees. But he thinks the new
licence, which is free of charge, should be mandatory. "It's one more
way to make sure patrons are safe," says Kosma, owner of the Voodoo
and Tabu nightclubs.

However, the new licence is designed more for larger clubs and
taverns than smaller businesses, such as restaurants and pizza
joints, says Ab Campion, spokesman for the Ontario Alcohol and Gaming
Commission. "It doesn't make sense to impose this liquor licence on
pizza parlours and small mom-and-pop drinking establishments," says
Campion, who estimates that there are approximately 400 licensed
establishments in the city of Windsor.

"We expect the large clubs will get involved because it is for their
own protection. The bar business is very competitive, so, it's a good
marketing strategy that would be aimed at people who want to come in
and not have to worry about leaving their drinks unattended."

The measure received cautious approval from Lydia Fiorini, executive
director of the Sexual Assault Crisis Centre. "It's a step in the
right direction, but women should remain vigilant," she says. "They
should keep an eye on where the drink is coming from. I'm not
suggesting bartenders are spiking drinks, but you should always be
conscientious."

The new licence expands the standard licence to other parts of the
bar. Campion said all businesses have to do is fill out a form and
provide sketches of the areas that would be covered by the new
licence, he said.

Although he intends to apply for the licence, Boscariol said he first
wants to make some changes, such as serving drinks in plastic rather
than glass containers.

"For safety reasons, we don't want glassware in washrooms," he said.

De Zara said establishments may need time to make structural changes,
such as installing cupholders, in areas to be covered by the new licence.