DATE RAPE' DRUG CURBS BECOME LAW

President Clinton signed a bill yesterday that would toughen 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 who drinks it can lose consciousness within 20 minutes and
often has no memory of what happened. The drug is difficult to trace, often
leaving the body within 24 hours.

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

For the first time, the legislation would give the DEA authority to seek
federal criminal prosecutions against those possessing and distributing the
drug, DEA officials said.

The legislation also places tougher monitoring controls on the distribution
of GBL, a component of GHB, to try to prevent its diversion for illegal
uses. GBL has commercial applications as a paint remover and dietary
supplement.