BAR STAFF SOUND ALARM ON DATE RAPE DRUGS

Bow Valley bar staff are working to educate themselves about the
hazards of the so-called "date rape drug" as more and more stories
surface surrounding the drug's prevalence in the area.

At a seminar Monday (Nov. 21) at the Drake Inn, doormen, bouncers,
bartenders and servers from bars in both Banff And Canmore shared
anecdotes about the drug's appearance on the local scene while RCMP
and provincial officials shared information about the drugs and their
impact.

The seminar was organized by Scott Stevens, general manager at the
Drake, following an incident about three weeks ago in which a
perpetrator was actually caught in the act of spiking a drink.

"We had an incident here at the Drake when we saw somebody tampering
with a drink. Unfortunately they got away before we could stop them,"
said Stevens.

"Our goal is to be proactive and take it to them. We want a lot of our
staff to be aware.

It's (date rape drugs) becoming more common around, and we are not
very knowledgeable at all," Stevens said.

Const. Mike Kane said Canmore RCMP are aware of rumours of incidents
stemming from the drugs, but added police have not yet documented an
official case. Recently police issued a news release warning bar
patrons to be extra vigilant in the wake of two suspected cases of
drink tampering.

Whether or not it is a serious issue can only be gauged if victims or
bar staff report incidents to police, but first-hand accounts from bar
staff during the seminar showed that many had a story to tell.

Jack Primavera, a doorman at the Drake, said a friend was found
unconscious on the bathroom floor two weeks ago, after only having two
drinks in a two-hour period.

He said she had arrived at the bar alone, possibly marking her as a
target, and had left her drink on the bar while she danced.

Carey Labonte, also a doorman at the Drake, said a male friend had
also recently had his drink spiked with a drug, and had a violent
reaction to it.

"I think some people are just doing it for the sheer fun of it. It's
not just date rape," he said.

After hearing some of the anecdotal evidence, Kane said: "Thinking
about it now, it's starting to sound that it's more prevalent than we
thought. I would probably bet it's already happened and we just don't
know about it."

He added incidents and suspicious activity should be reported to the
police so they can begin an investigation.

In Banff, Joe Gregory, operating partner of the Aurora Nightclub and
the hooDoo Lounge, said these drugs have been around for a long time,
but he has not seen a rise in incidents.

Regardless, company policy at both bars requires staff to remove
unattended drinks.

"We have a pretty strict policy with our staff that if they see an
unattended drink, the drink is taken away no matter if it is full or
half full. That's for the safety of the (customers)," he said.

If a customer returns to find their drink gone, Gregory said staff
explains why it was taken and will provide a new drink at no charge,
as he said he would rather incur the cost than put customers at risk.

According to information supplied by Spencer Schneider, area manager
for the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC), 77 per cent
of date rapes involving drugs are committed by a person the victim
knows, while only one per cent of those incidents are actually
reported to police.

Date rape drugs are usually Rohypnol, GHB and Ketamine, Schneider
said, adding alcohol can also be considered a date rape drug as well.

All three drugs are effectively odourless, colourless and tasteless
and are usually found in powder or liquid form.

Each can cause incapacitation, short-term amnesia, euphoria, sedation,
or a mix of all of those symptoms.

The drugs are potent, act quickly and can lead to death or long-term
health issues. Some of the known techniques used to spike a drink
include jewelry with hidden compartments, small vials containing a
liquid or even a tiny piece of tinfoil, matched to the colour of a
drink, wrapped around a drug. In other instances, two people will work
together, with one person distracting the target.

If staff becomes aware of someone who has consumed a spiked drink,
Kane recommended they find and isolate the victim for protection,
secure the drink so it can be tested for drugs and call the police.

As it is difficult to catch someone in the act of spiking a drink,
Kane also suggested staff pass on any information, especially the
identity of a suspected predator, so police can begin to build a case
to the point where they can execute a search warrant.

Schneider added patrons who have been or even suspect they may have
been drugged should get immediate medical help and be tested for
drugs. He added it is also important to speak to someone at AADAC or
with Alberta Mental Health to get some help with what is most
certainly a troubling experience.

"Catching someone in the act, you're talking about a finite period in
time, but there's a lot you can do before that. It's the effect you're
going to be dealing with rather than the act," Schneider said.

Ultimately, the best protection against ingesting a date rape drug is
for both staff and customers to be cautious, use common sense and not
leave a drink unattended.

To remind patrons of that, AADAC is planning to make a poster that
bars can use.

Suggestions from AADAC to avoid ingesting a date rape drug include
accepting drinks only from trusted bar staff or making sure the drink
is poured in front of the patron buying it. Also, if a drink tastes
bitter or is discoloured, don't drink it.