Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC) Copyright: 2002, West Partners Publishing Ltd. Contact: http://www.kelownacapnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294 Author: Marshall Jones Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?158 (Club Drugs) DATE RAPE DRUG WARNING GIVEN Kelowna RCMP is warning club-hoppers to keep a careful eye on their drinks after a 23 year-old woman was rendered unconscious from what police think was a drug dropped into her drink. The woman was partying at The Oasis Tuesday night but shortly after closing time she was found outside the club unconscious. The woman told police she didn't take any drugs and that has police wondering if something was added to her drink. Police, ambulance and the attending physician at Kelowna General Hospital agree her symptoms are consistent with the effects of GHB, a new recreational drug that doubles as the "date rape" drug.In small doses, gamma-hydroxy butyrate can produce an effect similar to alcohol. In larger doses, however, it can cause sleepiness, unconsciousness, coma or death. Dan Seibel, spokesman for Kelowna RCMP, said police are all but certain about the circumstances. "We are satisfied it wasn't self-inflicted and we felt it could have been involved with the drink," he said. GHB generally has a salty flavor but Seibel said you can't detect its presence in a drink by looking at it. He said drinks should not be left unattended or accepted from others. Alcohol is easily the most common substance involved with date-rapes but GHB and Rohypnol are commonly known as date-rape drugs. In January 2001 a 19-year-old woman was found face down in the snow between two cars in an automobile dealership. She had consumed GHB just before leaving a hotel room without a coat. An autopsy later showed that she died of a drug overdose and hypothermia. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom