New Products Detect Date Rape Drugs In Drinks

MIAMI (CBS) — It's a scary thought: having an illegal drug slipped into a drink at a bar or nightclub.

But now an entrepreneur has developed a line of products to detect date rape drugs in cocktails.

That's a good thing because the night scene can get a little crazy when the alcohol flows.

"It is always something a single woman should worry about, single or married," said Alexis Johnson.

"When everyone is partying, it is really easy for something like that to happen," said Annie Murawski.

It just takes a small amount of a date rape drug to knock out an unsuspecting victim. The most common is rohypnol, also known as roofies, and it's dangerous.

It has no taste or odor. The victim is unconscious in about 15 minutes and is like that for up to 24 hours. When they recover, they can't remember what happened.

It happened to Michael Abramson when he was out one night.

"I went to the bar to get my first drink of the night and not long after that, it started to feel much like my 15th drink," said Abramson.

Drinking that tainted cocktail is what inspired him to start DrinkSavvy, Inc. which is developing cups, straws and stirrers that can detect the presence of these so called predator drugs.

When these drugs come in contact with their products, sensing strips change color to warn the drinker that something about their cocktail has changed.

Abramson, who worked with scientists to develop this technology, said it is not expensive.

"The costs will be very competitive with normal drink ware that the clubs and bars are already using so there shouldn't be any financial disincentive not to really swap out their entire plastic cups straws and glasses for DrinkSavvy straws and glasses."

DrinkSavvy's products are expected to be widely available early next year. Testing strips on glassware is targeted for 2015.

This rollout is all part of Abramson's larger goal.

"That can prevent at least one drug facilitated sexual assault from happening, and I think that would make this an incredible success."