New cups, straws change colour when date rape drugs detected

11 years ago | Posted in: Nature, science | 847 Views

DrinkSavvy, a new line of plastic cups and straws, is attempting to fight back against one of the most common ways date rape occurs; the use of drugs like rohypnol, commonly referred to as roofies.

The new products are quite innovative—when date rape drugs are detected in a drink, the cups and straws turn red in response. The Drinksavvy line of products was recently funded via an IndieGogo campaign, and the company is ready to start shipping its first batch to backers next month before the cups and straws are available worldwide in mid-2014.

To understand why this idea is making waves, a quick look at statistics will be more than sufficient. In a staggering 90 percent of all sexual assault cases on college campuses, alcohol is involved, and often it can be more than just alcohol, as Mashable reports.

Drinksavvy was founded by former engineering student Michael Abramson, who himself fell victim to roofies when he was out at a club in Boston, International Business Times reports. Someone slipped rohypnol into his drink and he founded himself on his stairs the next morning.

That led him to start collaborating with chemistry and biology researchers at Worcester Polytechnic institute to find ways to clearly show the presence of date rape drugs.

“Why do I care so much? Over the past three years, three close friends and myself have been unwittingly exposed to these drugs,” Abramson said. “With over one million cases, someone close to you could come in contact with date rape drugs.”

In addition to plans to unveil an expanded line of products, Drinksavvy will also be providing the cups and straws for free to rape crisis centres. Abramson also hopes that bars, clubs and college campuses will start using them as a way to combat date rape.

 

(www.digitaljournal.com)

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