Contrary to popular notions, it has been found by a study in Australia that binge drinking and illicit drug use are far greater problems than drink spiking.
Dr. Mark Little, a clinical toxicologist at the Royal Perth Hospital, says that suspected victims of drink spiking are more likely to be suffering from drugs and alcohol they have willingly consumed.
Date Rape Drug Chemical Toy Sets Off Scare in Australia, China Suspends Exports
A black market could be developing in Australia in the toy beads being pulled off shelves following the discovery of the date rape drug chemical. China has suspended the export of the toys.
A black market could be developing in Australia in the toy beads being pulled off shelves following the discovery of the date rape drug chemical. China has suspended the export of the toys.
The researcher instead says that there emerged a concerning picture of excess alcohol and illegal drug use by people, usually young women, at the centre of these drink-spiking claims.
"The public's perception that it's a guy putting a sedative drug into a woman's drink, at a pub or a club, we just didn't find that at all," News.com.au quoted him as saying.
Date Rape Drug Seized at Chennai Airport
Date rape drugs are easily slipped into drinks and food and are very fast acting. They render the victim unconscious, but responsive.
Date rape drugs are easily slipped into drinks and food and are very fast acting. They render the victim unconscious, but responsive.
The study included 101 people who were taken to two Perth hospitals as suspected victims of drink spiking over 19 months. Almost 90 per cent were the subjects were females, and a majority of them were aged 25 or younger.
Advertisement
Dutch Court Sentenced Three Gays for Spreading HIV at Sex Parties
HIV-positive men told a Dutch court on Wednesday how a three-member gay gang tried to infect them with the AIDS virus at sex orgies.
HIV-positive men told a Dutch court on Wednesday how a three-member gay gang tried to infect them with the AIDS virus at sex orgies.
Referring to the test results, Dr. Little revealed that those people had an average blood alcohol level of .096 on arrival at hospital, almost double the legal limit for driving.
Advertisement
"We did not identify a single case where a sedative drug was likely to have been illegally placed in a drink," he said.
Dr. Little further revealed that in five of the cases studied, people's stated alcohol intake substantially did not match their blood alcohol level.
He reckons that there in those cases, possibly, soft drinks were unknowingly topped up with alcohol, or alcoholic drinks made extra strong.
"It's more the case of the girl who likes vodka and orange, let's give her a double, a triple (shot of vodka)," he said.
"We also found nearly all people were unconcerned with the amount of alcohol they had drank. When we said the average dose was about eight standard drinks ... they weren't concerned about that at all," he added.
Dr. Little revealed that upon being confronted with their test results, 35 per cent of the study participants continued to believe that they had been spiked.
Based on his observations, Dr. Little came to the conclusion that real cases of drink spiking involving sedating or illicit drugs are "rare", and "if drink spiking is going to occur, it will probably involve alcohol".
A research article on the study has been published in the journal Emergency Medicine Australasia.
Source-ANI
TAN
