In as little as one year, it may be safe to accept a cocktail from a cute stranger. Israeli scientists Dr. Michael Ioffe and Professor Fernando Patolsky of Tel Aviv University, have developed a field drug test that can be discreetly used in the club to detect popular date rape drugs.
Inspired by volunteer work with assault victims and a sneak peek into a U.S. State Department publication from 2007, which detailed 270,000 reported cases of drug-assisted date rape, the two scientists were quick to develop a reusable, handheld device that works to protect young women by arming them with knowledge.
“[Because so many cases go unreported],  the number of cases according to our estimation could easily be above one million in 2007 in U.S. alone… the number is really frightening.” Dr. Ioffe said.
The first prototype was developed around nine months ago, and even though it was not close to portable or reliable yet, the scientists were deluged with calls and emails from people worldwide wanting to buy the device. They have since signed on with a commercial firm and hope to have the pocket drug-tests on the market in the next 12-18 months.
The current version detects Ketamine and gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) with 100 percent accuracy. The scientists are working on adding Rohypnol detection to the device as well. Because these drugs are colorless, odorless and tasteless, they are virtually impossible to detect without lab equipment.
Ioffe and Patolsky have yet to settle on the housing design of the device, although they have decided it would be wise to make it discreet.
“It may look like a lipstick, a drink stirrer or a pen, anything as long as it is relatively small in size,” Dr. Ioffe said.
The inventors are also still playing around with how the device will alert the user to the presence of drugs. Some possibilities that have been considered are a light or even a text message complete with GPS coordinates of the user’s location sent to the recipient of their choosing.
Sustainability, affordability and durability have been important factors for the inventors as well. The device is reusable until it comes into contact with ketamine or GHB and even then, will only need to have its reaction chamber changed out. Dr. Ioffe is predicting a price range for the device that is well under five dollars. He also assures future buyers that it should be able to rattle around in the bottom of a handbag without incurring any damage.
Soon the age-old move of buying a drink for a girl may be back in the flirting repertoire of college students worldwide, and this time around, it will be safe.