Students on campus should exercise caution when drinking at parties and other popular nightspots, as their drinks could be drugged, caution experts.

Criminals slip drugs into drinks, then take advantage of the drinker. The drinkers may feel a little dizzy and think, “That is weird,” Whoever spiked the drink is usually standing nearby waiting to offer ‘help.’ And before they know it, they are passed out in the rapist’s car.

Men Are Targets, too
Women are not the only targets of drugged drinks. These people use the drugs to incapacitate people—both male and female. It facilitates rape, both for men and women, but it also facilitates burglary, beatings and things.

It is hard to prove that a person has been drugged, after the fact. These drugs metabolize quickly. If someone spikes your drink and takes you home to rape you, by the time you figure out what has happened, the drug is out of your body.

Don’t Take Drinks From Strangers. Taking drinks from strangers is a bad thing. Also, be wary of strangers wanting to buy you drinks. If you already have a drink and this guy wants to buy you a Long Island Iced Tea or an oatmeal cookie drink or a shot of Jägermeister, or something that is sweet or fruity, he may be doing that because those are the types of drinks he can slip something like GHB in without you noticing.

No Drinks Are Safe. The bartender is the first line of opportunity to put something in your drink, and sometimes bartenders do slip stuff in there. Sometimes people don’t even use date-rape drugs. They may simply give you a double shot. You may end up drinking twice as much as you intended without even knowing it.

Watch Your Drink. Don’t leave your drink sitting around for people to do something to it. It is really easy to dose someone’s drink. They can have Visine bottle or nasal spray bottle in the palm of their hand and reach over like they’re reaching for a napkin, and you won’t see it happen.

Protect Your Drink. One thing you can do is put your coaster on top of your drink. If there is coaster on top, he has remove the coaster and douse your drink and then put it back. It takes more time and is more likely to be noticed. This is particularly important, because even though people try to watch their drinks, when they’re out in bars and at parties, it’s hard to maintain a 100 percent focus on the drink. People think they are watching their drink.

But what happens when your girlfriend arrives and you stand up and wave to get her attention across a crowded room? Or what happens when a waitress drops a plate-of- food, and you turn to see what is going on?

Use The Buddy System. Encourage friends to stick together and watch out for each other. The buddy system is your best thing. The problem with GHB is it can happen so fast—you can taste your drink and then it may just be a matter of minutes. What often happens first is a blackout phase, where you are functioning but you don’t know what you are doing. You may be acting very drunk after having only one drink. That is why the buddy system is important. You are not in the condition to realize what you are doing. People have to discuss the buddy system and what will trigger buddies to act, or it doesn’t work. There was a case recently where these girls thought they were using the buddy system. One girl left the group. The other two stayed together, but then after having a drink, one girl started acting wild and glomming all over this guy. So her friend left her to find the girl who’d walked off earlier. Well, the guy took the girl home and raped her. The buddy system broke down.

Common Date Rape Drugs Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a powerful rapidly acting central nervous system depressant. GHB is sold as a light-colored powder that easily dissolves in liquids or as a pure liquid packaged in vials or small bottles. In liquid form, it is clear, odorless, tasteless and almost undetectable when mixed in a drink. Small doses cause a strong feeling of relaxation, slow the heart rate and respiration and interfere with blood circulation, motor coordination and balance. Stronger doses increase interference with motor and speech skills, and may induce a coma-like sleep. Rohypnol is the trade name for the drug flunitrazepam, a benzodiazepines (central nervous system depressant) like Valium, yet 10 times more potent. Rohypnol can mentally and physically paralyze an individual. When mixed with alcohol, it can lead to anterograde amnesia, where events that occurred during the time the drug was in effect are forgotten. New Rohypnol pills turn blue when added to liquids. However, the old pills, with no color, are still available. Ketamine can be used for date rape but is less common than GHB and benzodiazepines like Rohypnol and Valium. Ketamine, a white powder, is a non-barbiturate, rapid-acting disassociative anesthetic used on both animals and humans. Effects can range from rapture to paranoia to boredom. The user feels it hallucinogenic effects and experiences impaired perception. Ketamine commonly elicits an out-of-body or near-death experience; it can render the user comatose. Sources: Office of National Drug Control Policy and National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information.

Signs You May Have Been Drugged Strange, perhaps salty, taste in drink; excess foam in drink; or strange residue in drink Feel heavily intoxicated, often out of proportion to how much you’ve had to drink Nausea, dizziness, disorientation and decreased inhibition Heaviness or paralysis in the arms and legs Tunnel vision or other problems seeing Tremors, numbness or problems breathing Loss of coordination Out-of-body feelings