This Drug-Detecting Straw Might Prevent Date Rapes

Two scientists have developed a sensor that can automatically and accurately detect if date-rape drugs are in your drink. All you have to do is dip the straw in your drink and see if it lights up.

It’s the brainchild of Professor Fernando Patolsky and Doctor Michael Ioffe, both from Tel Aviv University’s school of chemistry. Ioffe says:

“The drug itself is reacting with this chemical formulation and the previously clear formula becomes dirty and when the light shines it you can detect it. You don’t have to do anything but dip it in your drink.”

They haven’t decided on the final design of the date rape drug detector (it could be a stirrer instead of a straw) but so far in testing, it’s been 100 per cent accurate with no false positives. Anytime they slip a date rape drug inside the drink, the straw detects it. The straw currently detects GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid) and ketamine and will include testing for Rohypnol (roofies) in the near future. With proper funding they hope to become commercially available in a year and a half. If it really works, every bar in every city needs to support this. [AFP via CNET]