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Long Beach Distributes Test Kits To Counter Drink Spiking
Stock: A bartender mixing a drink. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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Spencer Platt
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Getty Images
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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.
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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.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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