Topline:
Long Beach joins West Hollywood in distributing kits that allow people to test drinks for date rape drugs such as gamma hydroxybutyrate and ketamine.
Why it matters: The Long Beach police department said they see an average of 25 cases annually of people who have been drugged while out patronizing a restaurant or bar, adding that drugs used to spike drinks have no color, odor or taste even when mixed.
How to get kits: The $25,000 initiative called SipSafe Long Beach is a step towards community safety, said Mayor Rex Richardson. Businesses and organizations can apply for the kits via a request form on the city’s website. The form is available in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog.
The backstory: Last year, West Hollywood also offered free kits to test drinks for drugs to bars and restaurants in the city. Between 2016 and 2021, the sheriff’s department recorded 30 instances in which a victim believed their drink was spiked. According to national nonprofit RAINN, 2 out of 3 incidents of sexual assault are not reported.