BEWARE OF 'DATE RAPE' DRUGS

They are found wherever people hang out.

In bars, at raves, restaurants and after-hours clubs, so-called date-rape
drugs are increasingly becoming just another hazard of going out for an
evening.

Recently in Whistler, two women apparently fell victim to the effects of
date-rape drugs in as many weeks.

Dale Schweighhardt, president of the Whistler Food and Beverage
Association, said instances of such attacks are becoming a matter of fact
for those who enjoy the social side of night life.

"I would say it is sadly becoming a commonplace risk," he said. "It is
something that anyone who goes to bars or restaurants should be aware of."

The incidents this season are hardly isolated, he said.

"There was a rash of incidents last year in a short time frame, and a few
other instances afterwards, as well," he said. "Quite often people don't
even realize they were drugged, and think 'Oh, that drink really hit me,'
and then they go home and get sick and think they had a flu bug or something."

Whistler RCMP Cst. Michelle Friesen said the effects of the date-rape drugs
are what makes investigations of incidents so difficult.

"The last girl said she was sick to her stomach, had severe stomach cramps,
and there was a significant loss of memory and loss of motor control," she
said. "Investigation is really difficult, because of the loss of memory,
and the scene in a bar is usually that of a huge crowd."

'Date-rape' drugs commonly used in North America fall under two headings.

Rohypnol, or "roofies" on the street, started appearing in the early 1990s
and is mostly seen in tablet form.

Gammahydroxybutyrate, or GHB, first appeared on the market as a
bodybuilding aid.

When put into a drink, rohypnol becomes both odourless and colourless, and
has been known to cause drowsiness, dizziness, sight problems, and partial
amnesia.

GHB, although colourless and odourless, might give a drink a slightly salty
flavour.

Small amounts of GHB have been known to make people pass out, hallucinate
or feel elated.

To avoid the possibility of hav ing one of the drugs slipped into your
drink by a stranger with less-than-noble intentions, Cst. Friesen said
there's always safety in numbers.

"The best thing is to never leave your drink alone, and leave the bar with
a friend," she said. "Often trouble happens when friends leave their
companions behind and alone in a bar."

Schweighardt said revisions to the Liquor Act are being looked at to help
people keep a better eye on their drinks.

"They are looking into changing the laws to allow you to take your drinks
with you into the bathroom," he said.