LAWS TOUGHENED FOR 'DATE-RAPE' DRUG

WASHINGTON - President Clinton signed legislation Friday that toughens
federal laws for possession and distribution of a powerful "date rape" drug.

GHB, or gamma-hydroxybutyrate, has been linked to at least 58 deaths since
1990 and more than 5,700 recorded overdoses, according to the Drug
Enforcement Administration.

A few drops of the colorless, odorless drug are usually slipped into a
drink. A victim can lose consciousness within 20 minutes and often have no
memory of what happened. The drug is difficult to trace.

Under the legislation, GHB would be placed in a category of drugs that are
the most strictly regulated by the federal Controlled Substances Act.
Anyone who possesses, manufactures or distributes GHB could face 20 years
in prison.