California bars, clubs required now by law to offer test kits for date rape drugs
California bars serving alcohol must sell or offer customers test strips to make sure their drinks haven’t been spiked with date rape drugs as of this week.
Assembly Bill No. 1013 went into effect Monday, July 1, and will remain effective until Jan. 1, 2027.
The law applies to bars and clubs that hold type 48 liquor licenses or businesses that sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits for consumption on-site.
To let customers know about the drug testing kits, businesses must display signs that read “Don’t get roofied! Drink spiking drug test kits available here. Ask a staff member for details.”
Per the bill’s order, businesses impacted by the law must offer drug testing devices for sale or for free.
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What drugs do these kits test for?
The kits can come in the form of test strips, stickers, and straws that pick up on controlled substances in drinks.
The kits typically test for substances such as flunitrazepam, ketamine, and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, also known as GHB. GHB is an illegal drug that is often made in illegal laboratories and taken at clubs and raves, according to Alcohol.org.
It typically looks like a clear and colorless liquid or a white powder that dissolves into liquid. When taken, it can make users more passive and more open to suggestions, as well as heighten libido.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, GHB is commonly mixed into alcoholic beverages. Together, GHB and alcohol can be dangerous, Alcohol.org reported.
At least 50% of student sexual assaults involve alcohol, and approximately 90% of rapes committed by an acquaintance of the victim involve alcohol, according to Alcohol.org.
About 43% of sexual assaults involve alcohol use by the victim, while 69% percent of sexual assaults involve alcohol use by the perpetrator.
Lastly, in one-third of sexual assaults, the aggressor is under the influence.
Legislator also pushes for drug testing kits on campuses
The newly enacted drug-testing bill states that bars and clubs will not be responsible for “a defective test or inaccurate test result, including, but not limited to, a false positive or false negative test result,” the bill reads.
Still, the businesses are required to make sure the kits have not expired.
Assembly member Josh Lowenthal (D) announced in January that he was proud to have passed Assembly Bill No. 1013 and that he plans to introduce another anti-drug bill to protect young people.
“This is only the first step to protecting our community,” he wrote on January 9. “In the new legislative year, I will be reintroducing AB 1524 to bring test strips to (community colleges) and (California state universities) as well.”
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California enacts law to fight against date rape drugs: What to know
