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Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

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Re: Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

#11

Post by justinsteele »

Nursie wrote: post #3

1. Awesome invention, straws that detect adulterants and change colour 2. Obviously people do get drugged occasionally, the inventor seems to have had it happen to him 3. Unfortunately there seems to be no real evidence that GHB or ketamine are often used in sexual assaults, and even Rohypnol which has the worst reputation has not often been detected. A straw that could detect a drink that's stronger than you think i…

Regarding #3, what data are you going off to say that Rohypnol has not been detected, and that drugging overall is uncommon? I have experienced it twice in the past 18 months through friends whom I have drank with many times, and had a very obvious reaction to one drink which often had been bought for them or left on a table/bar at some point that evening. Unless someone poured them a drink comprised of 6+ shots worth of liquor, there is no way they would have gone through the change they went through in that one drink. Also, if it had been that much alcohol, it would have been noticed in taste.

Uncommon is pretty broad, if something as severe as being drugged happens to one person out of every 200 each night, it is "common" in my mind.

Re: Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

#12

Post by ultramundane828 »

doingitwrong wrote: post #5

If you find yourself going to a venue where you think one of these would be handy, shouldn't you just not go?

That's where I think this product can't really be considered a consumer product. It would be much more useful for businesses.

At first glance, the same criticism holds for a bar that has these ("you think your patrons are rapists?" or "that place is so bad it needs those cups" spring to mind). But I feel like that's just a marketing challenge.

Instead, I think the company selling the cups could market them with focus on the avoidance of sexual assault and make their customers (bars/clubs) look like community leaders. Maybe they'll even have a cool little symbol to plaster beneath the neon signs. I have a hunch that that symbol could sway more customers than the availability of Bud Light.

Just some of my thoughts.

Re: Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

#13

Post by justinsteele »

keevie wrote: post #9
Nursie wrote: post #3

1. Awesome invention, straws that detect adulterants and change colour 2. Obviously people do get drugged occasionally, the inventor seems to have had it happen to him 3. Unfortunately there seems to be no real evidence that GHB or ketamine are often used in sexual assaults, and even Rohypnol which has the worst reputation has not often been detected. A straw that could detect a drink that's stronger than you think i…

None of these "date rape drugs" even come close to comparing to alcohol. It's the original and most effective date rape drug, and no one even really objects to people using it for that purpose. Getting people drunk to get them to sleep with you isn't really /wrong./ Once you start using scary drugs that no one has ever heard of, then wow, that's something we can condemn. Especially since no one we know would ever do…

That's arguable. I think the line between "these friends know each other and have been flirtatious in the past, it's okay that they got drunk one night and hooked up" and "this random person put a date rape drug in that other person's drink so they could take advantage of their state" is extremely large.

Re: Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

#14

Post by jtreminio »

keevie wrote: post #9
Nursie wrote: post #3

1. Awesome invention, straws that detect adulterants and change colour 2. Obviously people do get drugged occasionally, the inventor seems to have had it happen to him 3. Unfortunately there seems to be no real evidence that GHB or ketamine are often used in sexual assaults, and even Rohypnol which has the worst reputation has not often been detected. A straw that could detect a drink that's stronger than you think i…

None of these "date rape drugs" even come close to comparing to alcohol. It's the original and most effective date rape drug, and no one even really objects to people using it for that purpose. Getting people drunk to get them to sleep with you isn't really /wrong./ Once you start using scary drugs that no one has ever heard of, then wow, that's something we can condemn. Especially since no one we know would ever do…

> Getting people drunk to get them to sleep with you isn't really /wrong./

Christ.

Re: Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

#15

Post by dpeck »

doingitwrong wrote: post #5

If you find yourself going to a venue where you think one of these would be handy, shouldn't you just not go?

You'd be surprised. I'm fairly sure I was drugged one night out at a club in London while out with coworkers. Fairly upscale place, very rough experience.

Re: Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

#16

Post by Nursie »

justinsteele wrote: post #11
Nursie wrote: post #3

1. Awesome invention, straws that detect adulterants and change colour 2. Obviously people do get drugged occasionally, the inventor seems to have had it happen to him 3. Unfortunately there seems to be no real evidence that GHB or ketamine are often used in sexual assaults, and even Rohypnol which has the worst reputation has not often been detected. A straw that could detect a drink that's stronger than you think i…

Regarding #3, what data are you going off to say that Rohypnol has not been detected, and that drugging overall is uncommon? I have experienced it twice in the past 18 months through friends whom I have drank with many times, and had a very obvious reaction to one drink which often had been bought for them or left on a table/bar at some point that evening. Unless someone poured them a drink comprised of 6+ shots wort…

>> Regarding #3, what data are you going off to say that Rohypnol has not been detected, and that drugging overall is uncommon?

Wikipedia has links to a couple of studies. It says Rohypnol was detected in less than 1% of cases of sexual assault where drugging was suspected.

I obviously have no idea what you and your friends have seen or been through or what they may have been spiked with. I'm just saying that whenever actual figures are looked at the problem of drinks being spiked with drugs turns out to be far, far behind witting or unwitting consumption of alcohol as the reason for people being in a bad way.

This is in NO WAY whatsoever saying it's acceptable to abuse someone who's drunk, or that it's their fault. People should be free to get as trashed as they like without bad people doing bad things to them.

It may very well be that this stuff doesn't get tested or reported very often, in which case the most we can say is we don't have reliable data.

Re: Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

#17

Post by arkades »

keevie wrote: post #9
Nursie wrote: post #3

1. Awesome invention, straws that detect adulterants and change colour 2. Obviously people do get drugged occasionally, the inventor seems to have had it happen to him 3. Unfortunately there seems to be no real evidence that GHB or ketamine are often used in sexual assaults, and even Rohypnol which has the worst reputation has not often been detected. A straw that could detect a drink that's stronger than you think i…

None of these "date rape drugs" even come close to comparing to alcohol. It's the original and most effective date rape drug, and no one even really objects to people using it for that purpose. Getting people drunk to get them to sleep with you isn't really /wrong./ Once you start using scary drugs that no one has ever heard of, then wow, that's something we can condemn. Especially since no one we know would ever do…

I don't think people are more tolerant of alcohol because it's more familiar. I think people are more tolerant of it because the imbiber is usually cognizant of what they're drinking, and does so willingly. Having something done to you without your knowledge or consent IS scarier than having someone persuade you to get carried away with something you're already choosing to do.

Re: Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

#18

Post by Nursie »

justinsteele wrote: post #13
keevie wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

None of these "date rape drugs" even come close to comparing to alcohol. It's the original and most effective date rape drug, and no one even really objects to people using it for that purpose. Getting people drunk to get them to sleep with you isn't really /wrong./ Once you start using scary drugs that no one has ever heard of, then wow, that's something we can condemn. Especially since no one we know would ever do…

That's arguable. I think the line between "these friends know each other and have been flirtatious in the past, it's okay that they got drunk one night and hooked up" and "this random person put a date rape drug in that other person's drink so they could take advantage of their state" is extremely large.

>> "this random person put a date rape drug in that other person's drink so they could take advantage of their state"

This is the straw man in the situation though - it's usually someone the victim knows.

(edit: I'm not really sure straw man is the right term here...)

Re: Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

#19

Post by diydsp »

bluetidepro wrote: post #2

> "Boston Man Invents Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs" Invents? I thought this has been around for quite awhile now? I remember hearing about things like this years ago. Maybe it was just the idea, and had not yet been actually a physical product though?

heh. it was "new" in Dec 2012 as well. Same inventor: http://www.boston.com/dailydose/2012/12/11/new-straw-detects...

It was also invented by scientists in Tel Aviv in August 2012: http://www.algemeiner.com/2012/08/24/tel-aviv-researchers-de...

Apparently also in August 2011 by the same scientists: http://www.geekosystem.com/straw-detects-drugs/

Re: Straws And Cups That Detect Date Rape Drugs

#20

Post by DanBC »

keevie wrote: post #9
Nursie wrote: post #3

1. Awesome invention, straws that detect adulterants and change colour 2. Obviously people do get drugged occasionally, the inventor seems to have had it happen to him 3. Unfortunately there seems to be no real evidence that GHB or ketamine are often used in sexual assaults, and even Rohypnol which has the worst reputation has not often been detected. A straw that could detect a drink that's stronger than you think i…

None of these "date rape drugs" even come close to comparing to alcohol. It's the original and most effective date rape drug, and no one even really objects to people using it for that purpose. Getting people drunk to get them to sleep with you isn't really /wrong./ Once you start using scary drugs that no one has ever heard of, then wow, that's something we can condemn. Especially since no one we know would ever do…

> It's the original and most effective date rape drug, and no one even really objects to people using it for that purpose.

They really do. Drunk consent isn't consent, and people leave themselves open to accusations of, and convictions for, rape if they have sex with drunk people.

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