High School Girls Invent An Ingenious Straw That Detects Date Rape Drugs

It's a shame these kind of things even have to be invented.

This is awesome. I hope this actually gets out there. A few years ago a group claimed they had made something similar and thousands of people kickstarted it (including me) and nothing ever came of it. It was extremely disappointing, not because i "lost" money, but because products like this really need to be available.

4 years ago, I met a group of people who had been developing a nailpolish that would change colors in response to the drug. This is smarter because you can leave it in the drink rather than dipping your finger but it doesn't seem particularly novel in that respect

My BS meter pegged and got bent. I have one of those "garbage pit" memories... everything goes and and never get's collected or destroyed. Well, I thought this sounded awfully familiar... and I was right. As an inventor/entrepreneur (a bit over 100 US patents and climbing), it makes me mad to see someone claim to be the inventor of something when they are not. These very privileged girls (who probably don't know much actual chemistry) have pulled the inventor's equivilant to plagarism: https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1417-disposable-dipper-to-detect-date-rape-drug-is-launched/

The nail polish thing is impractical - you have to stick your germy fingers in your drink. (Also, not everyone wears nail polish!) A straw makes so much more sense.

Excellent--so smart.

Pretty sure someone already invented it. http://bust.com/general/10279-man-invents-straws-and-cups-that-detect-date-rape-drugs.html

It's very sad to me that high school students need to be vigilant about these things. :(

Great kids- great idea. I would buy these for my daughter.

A group of students of North Carolina State University, Ankesh Madan, Tyler Confrey-Maloney, Stephen Grey and Tasso Von Windheim, have created a drug-sensitive nail polish called Undercover Colors. The product changes color when it comes in contact with some of the more popular date-rape drugs. GHB, Rohypnol or Xanax will cause the chemical change indicating there is something extra is in the drink, though it may not be sensitive to other drugs or chemicals. They have been looking for potential investors, but have over $100,000 from both an interested investor and money they won from a competition. There are other date-rape drug identifying supplies, including drug-sensitive coasters, and cups and straws that change colors. The coasters are available for purchase at $5 USD each while the cups and straws should be available within the next year.

That's amazing! Are they going to be out on the market? I'd like to see these at a local supermarket and everywhere else.

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Two of 'em might be in danger, but that other one is just being wildly optimistic.

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Surely there's a better way without more plastic that'll end up in the ocean (up the noses of turtles)?