BBC: Date rape drugs ‘not widespread’. Or are they?

April 2nd, 2007

A while ago, the BBC quoted a report stating that many cases of use of date rape drugs like rohypnol in rape cases were unfounded. The report claimed that in most cases the women had simply drunk too much.

Now, apparently, there is another report from the Government’s Advisory Council on the misuse of drugs showing the exact opposite.
Not only are there two commonly used date rape drugs that are entirely legal, apparently all of those substances leave the body quite quickly, so unless the drug test is performed very quickly, there is nothing left to test and the impression is that only alcohol was involved.

The council analysed this research in its own report and found that in some cases there were clear delays between an incident and attempts to detect samples.

And in 41 of the 62 instances where alcohol was detected, one or more controlled drugs were also present.

Obviously, I think it’s pretty fair to assume that the majority of these cases were not a result of online dating, but this is as good a time as any to reiterate how important it is to follow the standard online dating safety rules when meeting people. They are available on every decent dating site, as well as in my book (obviously!) and on this blog. These rules may seem paranoid and over the top but, personally, I’d rather be paranoid than a victim. When pubs and drinking are concerned, you’re better off not letting your guard down. By all means, drink and be merry, but don’t overdo it and don’t ever leave your drink unattended around strangers.

Related posts:

1. 5 things you shouldn’t do on a first date
2. What should the first date be like?
3. 5 first date location ideas
4. What to wear on a first date? 5 dos and don’ts for women
5. Online Dating Safety Tips

Entry Filed under: Online Dating Tips,Relationships and dating