MP WANTS TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR USE OF DATE-RAPE DRUGS

B.C. Conservative MP James Moore said yesterday he will reintroduce
his private member's bill to combat date-rape drugs.

Moore, who represents Port Moody-Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam, spoke out
yesterday in the House of Commons about the situation, which was
highlighted earlier this week with the release of some startling
statistics in this month's Canadian Journal of Public Health.

The study showed date-rape drugging rates more than doubled in
Vancouver, Richmond and the North Shore from 1999 to 2002, compared to
the rate in the previous five years.

"The cowards who use date-rape drugs need to be told through the law
with stern punishments that their behaviour will not be tolerated,"
said Moore.

He wants a separate section of laws for date-rape drugs, and tough new
penalties. Moore is also calling for a national education campaign on
the dangers of the drugs and a way to streamline the collection of
evidence on sexual assaults and rapes to facilitate
prosecution.

The study showed the mean annual incidence of sexually assaulted
females where drugs were used was 3.4 per 100,000 from 1993 to 1998.

From 1999 to 2002, the rate jumped to 10.7 per 100,000.

Women aged 15 to 19 years were most at risk.

Moore also plans to encourage the new Standing Committee on the Status
of Women to study the issue.