UBC researchers unveil stir stick capable of testing for drink-spiking drugs

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a stir stick capable of detecting common drink-spiking drugs, potentially preventing assaults.

Given that the common drink-spiking drugs like GHB or ketamine are tasteless and odourless, researchers say detecting them is nearly impossible without special tools.

The team behind inventing the ‘Spikeless’ device includes Dr. Johan Foster, an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering who conceived the idea with his brother Andrew, chemical and biological engineering master’s student Samin Yousefi, and an advocate and expert on public health, education, and violence prevention, Sasha Santos.

“There’s a compound at the top that reacts with ketamine or GHB and changes into something that is pink or purple, depending on the type of drink you’re drinking or the amount of drug that’s in the drink,” said Foster.

The team says Spikeless is more discreet than existing alternatives like coasters or nail polish that detect drugs — and it doesn’t contaminate the drink.

“The chemical that is going to detect the drug is not going to touch your drink and make it toxic,” Yousefi added.

Researchers say about 10 per cent of women and sexual minorities — and about four per cent of heterosexual men — have experienced drink spiking.

“People are targeted by different forms of violence on the basis of how vulnerable they are, how marginalized they are, how much discrimination they face,” Santos explained.

The single-use tool is intended for large-scale use in public venues such as bars, pubs, restaurants, and festivals.

“The risks of drink spiking are created by the selling of alcohol and the environment it happens in, so all of us who are involved in the creation and existence of that risk have a role to play in mitigating it,” said Santos.

“We want to have these available in every drink at a venue so you can say, ‘Hey, this venue, as a whole, is safer,” said Foster.

The product is currently being reviewed by hospitality professionals.