California’s bars and nightclubs soon required to offer ‘roofie’ tests

From this summer, bars and nightclubs in California will have kits available for customers to test if their drink has been spiked.

The new law, which comes into force in July, is being enforced in a bid to make going out safer for all with assurances that, should someone think their drink has been spiked, they can find out.

Speaking about the new initiative, Rosemary Barrionuveo from Dublin told local reporters in Los Angeles: “It’s super important, especially as a woman being out at night and drinking alcohol. You don’t want to be at the wrong place, with the wrong people.”

Daniel Aguilera from Oakland agreed: “I think it’s a good idea to make people feel more safe.”

The drug-testing kits will typically include a strip, sticker, or straw that detect common roofie or date-rape drugs like ketamine or GHB.

Barrionuevo explained: “I know men probably experienced it, too, but it’s something that a lot of women are very cautious about when they are out.”

Aguilera added: “It happens all the time. I worked at a bar and someone got to be there one time. I’ve seen it myself.”

Vesuvio staff manager Joanna Lioche said: “I worked here for a long time and I’ve seen people sort of touch other people’s drinks that I immediately just get rid of the drink because I just I think that you have to be careful.”

Lioche explained: “There are many women, especially, who will come in and they’ll have to use the restroom and they’ll ask me to watch their drink and I’ll say, ‘I’m going to take your drink and put it behind the bar and just put a glass of water there so they don’t lose their seat.”

According to D-Long Beach. assembly member Josh Lowenthal, there is “a crisis that’s taking place that’s resulting in sexual assault, that’s targeting primarily women and members of the LGBTQ communities” and, due to this, Lowenthal has introduced the law known as ‘AB 1013’.

He admitted: “I have members of my staff that have been roofied. There are members of the legislative body that have been roofied.”

Bargoer, Lily Horton explained how it almost happened to her and stated: “They told me they wanted me to leave with them, so they got a drink and passed it behind their back and my friend saw them and defended me.”

Bar owners will be required to have tests available from July, but it will be up to each venue as to whether they charge customers for them to test their drink.

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