TEST TO DETECT DATE-RAPE DRUGS

Ottawa Bar Owners Hope Test Strips, Coasters Will Prevent Sexual Assaults

A recent string of drug-related sexual assaults in Ottawa and Gatineau have
bar-goers and owners on high alert -- but a Florida company's new product
may help combat such incidents.

Drink Safe Technology Inc. has designed test strips, cards and coasters to
show whether a drink has been spiked with one of three popular illicit
drugs used to facilitate the assaults. The typical drugs used by sexual
predators include: Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) also knows as "Liquid
Ecstasy" and "Grievous Bodily Harm," Rohypnol, often called "roofies," and
Ketamine, also known as "Special K."

The behavioural effects of the drugs resemble the effects of voluntary
alcohol consumption, but in large doses can cause seizures, permanent coma
or even death. When used to facilitate rape, the clear, odourless and
tasteless drugs can render a woman helpless to assault within 10 to 20 minutes.

The creators of the product spent two-and-a-half years getting it into
development, collaborating with several laboratories and the United States
Drug Enforcement Agency.

The final product, designed by owners Francisco Guerra, 34, and Dr. Brian
Glover, 34, shows within seconds whether a drink has been spiked by way of
a chemically sensitive circle on the card.

"You just a place a drop of the drink, using a swizzle stick, on one of the
test circles and wait for it to dry," said Dr. Glover, a practising
dentist. "You'll either get a colour change or you won't. If the circle
turns to a darker blue, then you know you shouldn't drink the drink."

Dr. Glover says while the product has only been available for the past two
months through their site www.drinksafetech.com, sales have already passed
the one-million mark. The products will be offered at the retail level in
Canada, the United Kingdom and the U.S. within the next two months. Typical
clients include universities and colleges, rape crisis centres, bars -- and
even travellers.

"The coasters retail for about 40 cents (U.S) but the test strips and cards
are cheaper. If people buy them in large quantities, then the price is
lowered."

Also, he says, if a bar doesn't provide the coasters, then patrons can
carry the test strips or cards to the bar in their wallet.

Sonny Juane, co-owner and manager of the Great Canadian Cabin on York
Street in the Byward Market is amazed by the invention. He says he feels
fortunate his customers, ranging in age from 19 to 25, haven't experienced
drug-related sexual assaults. But he stresses the issue is a concern for
staff at his establishment and others in the downtown area.

"I think the concept is great," said Mr. Juane, adding his bar has
discussed the issue of date rape drugs with a representative from Health
Canada. He has since pinned up warning posters in his bar, but stressed the
issue of date rape drugs is a sensitive one because the symptoms are hard
to identify. And it's difficult to determine whether a customer is
over-intoxicated or drugged.

"I would definitely put them (the coasters) in the bar if they were
available here," he said.

"It's necessary -- which is a tragedy."

But Sandy Onyalo, executive director of the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre isn't
completely sold on the idea. She believes that while some may think the
product gives students and parents peace of mind, she believes the test
cards and coasters could give women a false sense of security. Also, she
says, it puts the onus on the woman and not the man.

"There's a lot of ways women can be assaulted," said Ms. Onyalo, adding an
average of five or six women a month enter the crisis centre because of
drug-related sexual assaults. "So if they carry this strip, they could
think it (an attack) won't happen. The problems is this still doesn't put
emphasis on the perpetrator. The woman shouldn't even have the
responsibility (of carrying the card). The bigger issue is about educating
men about equality. This test is a quick fix, a short-term approach."

Mr. Guerra and Dr. Glover don't see their product as the final solution
either, just a first line of defence. Also, Mr. Guerra's motivation to
create the product was personal. In the early fall of 2000, he learned that
a close friend fell victim to a sexual predator. Someone had slipped an
unknown drug into her drink while she was at a bar with friends. Several
hours later, she awoke to find herself in a seedy hotel room, naked,
confused and sexually violated. Outraged that such a thing could happen,
and without anything to deter the problem, he set out to create a product
that could detect the presence of any kind of drug in any kind of beverage,
alcohol enhanced or not.

"The thing is, if people start instituting it (the coasters and cards) into
a bar, the people thinking of perpetrating the crime won't even bother,"
said Dr. Glover. "They'll go and do it somewhere else that's easier."

Two months ago, a 23-year-old Ottawa woman was drugged at a downtown bar.
The woman told police she woke up in her Byward Market home only to realize
she had been raped and robbed of her jewelry and other valuables. She said
she had no memory of what happened after she consumed a drink in a bar near
where she lives and works.

Staff Sgt. Pierre Gauthier of the Ottawa police drug squad agrees the test
strips could possibly help prevent incidents such as these.

"If it works, of course, we would support something like that," said Staff
Sgt. Gauthier. "We've had many occurrences lately in Ottawa and Gatineau,
so anything that would prevent these types of incidents would be a good thing."