The Anti-Date Rape Straw

One in six women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. That's a staggering number, and one of the most common places where women will be victimized is in nightclubs.

Ever since date rape drugs have become easy accessible, women have had to be on high alert whenever drinking in public, otherwise someone could easily slip an odorless and tasteless drug that can render a person unconscious and put them in a position to be taken advantage of.

An israel professor of Tel Aviv University, Fernando Patolsky, and his partner Michael Ioffe, have invented what will hopefully become a common sight in bar and clubs around the world, an Anti-Date Rape Straw.

The straw can currently detect the two most common drugs being used, ketamine and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, of GHB. Patolsky and Ioffe are working on adding more drug detection abilities, including rohypnol, aka ruffies.

The idea is that women will carry the straw with them when they go out, and they can reuse the straw as many times as they like until the straw encounters the presence of any date rape drugs. If the straw detects any drug in the drink, a chemical reaction will be created and the straw will change colour, depending on the drug.

Patolsky and Ioffe hope to commercialize the product within a year.