It Can't Happen to Me : Your Drink is Drugged

Project GHB, Inc.

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Image: Glass of alcohol and people at a party. Caption: Someone drugs your drink and you don't know what happened.

When you're at a party, or just hanging out, it's possible that someone---someone you know, or someone you don't---may slip something into your drink that causes you harm. In some cases, you may not even remember what's happened to you. Some drugs can cause you to pass out, allowing someone to assault you sexually. Often, the fact that victims can't remember details, or identify the person who committed the assault is appealing to the rapist. In some cases, a victim doesn't know what happened until much later---like when a videotape is found at the rapist's home and all the facts come to light.

GHB is a one of the substances used in drug facilitated sexual assault. GHB is made from common household cleaning products and other strong chemicals. Other substances, which are chemically related to GHB (BD and GBL), convert in the user's body to GHB and cause the same reactions. The onset of GHB is rapid. It stays in the user's system a short time, making criminal investigations difficult.

There are things you should know---and things you can do---to keep yourself safe.

Image: Bottle of orange soda. Caption: Orange soda can make you pregnant.

Credit: Walz Tetrick Advertising

Taking Care of Yourself

1. Don't drink beverages that you did not open yourself.
2. Don't take a drink from a punch bowl.
3. Don't drink from a container that is being passed around.
4. If someone offers you a drink from the bar at a club or a party, accompany the person to the bar to order your drink, watch the drink being poured and carry the drink yourself.
5. Don't leave your drink unattended, especially when talking, dancing, using the restroom, or making a phone call.
6. If you realize that your drink has been left unattended, discard it.
7. Don't drink anything that has an unusual taste or appearance like a salty taste or unexplained residue.
8. Do not mix drugs and alcohol. Even over-the-counter drugs can react with other substances in negative ways.
9. Watch out for your friends. Have a plan to periodically check up on each other.
10. If one of your friends appears very intoxicated, gets sick after drinking a beverage, passes out and is difficult to awaken, seems to be having difficulty breathing, or is behaving in an uncharacteristic way, take steps to ensure your friend's safety. If necessary, call 911 for emergency medical assistance .
11. Some rapists "dose" drinks with drugs such as GHB, Rohypnol, Ketamine or Ecstasy which can take away your ability to fight back and your memory of what was done to you. When these drugs are mixed with alcohol, the results may be lethal.

SIGNS THAT YOU MAY HAVE BEEN DRUGGED

1. If you feel intoxicated and haven't drunk alcohol.
2. If you wake up very "hung over" and experience a memory lapse, or can't account for periods of time.
3. If your clothes are disheveled or not "on right".
4. If you are nauseous, sleepy and have a loss of reflexes.
5. If you feel like someone had sex with you, but you can't remember it.

WHAT TO DO IF IT HAPPENS TO YOU

1. Get to a safe place. Ask a trusted friend to stay with you. Call the police. Tell the police everything---be honest about your activities. Remember that nothing justifies rape.
2. Go to a hospital as soon as possible. Ask for an examination and evidence collection. Request that the hospital take a urine sample for drug toxicology testing to be done by your law enforcement agency's crime lab. Have them test the urine for "rape drugs."
3. Preserve as much physical evidence as possible. Do not bathe or throw away the clothing you were wearing during the incident. Save any other potential evidence, such as the glass that held your drink.
4. Call a rape crisis center for support and information.

Image: Man in jail. Caption: Use a date rape drug and enjoy one night of pleasure. And regret it for 20 years.

Credit: Walz Tetrick Advertising

Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape Drug Prohibition Act of 2000

Hillory Farias and Samantha Reid were both young women who died from GHB overdoses after their sodas were drugged. In response to the terrible danger that GHB poses to so many people, Congress passed, and President Clinton signed the Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape Drug Prohibition Act of 2000. This law places GHB in a higher drug schedule, raising the federal penalties for manufacturing and distributing the drug. Many young people have died from GHB.

The Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape Drug Prohibition Act of 2000, was approved and assigned as U.S. Public Law 106-172 on February 18, 2000 . The Act is named after two teen women who each died from drinking soda laced with gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB). This law states that abuse of illicit GHB (also called G, Liquid X, Liquid Ecstasy, Grievous Bodily Harm, Georgia Home Boy, Scoop) is an imminent hazard to public safety.