Pubdate: Thu, 31 Mar 2005
Source: Martlet (CN BC Edu)
Copyright: 2005 Martlet Publishing Society
Contact:  http://www.martlet.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3140
Author: Pablo Miramontes
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/date+rape (date rape)

DATE RAPE DRUGS VS. BOOZE

Re: Conservative MP James Moore's motion to classify "date rape drugs" as 
weapons.

Any sexual assault is tragic. However, it is a disservice to your readers 
to accept the facts given to you without question. Mr. Moore's statement 
that GHB and Rohypnol are "always a precursor to a greater crime" is false. 
What he may find hard to grasp is that people take these substances 
willingly for their effects. Regarding their use as aids to assault, a 1998 
study of rape victims who said they were drugged found that only one per 
cent tested positive for GHB while 36 per cent tested positive for alcohol 
despite the fact that GHB is detectable for a longer period of time. Many 
studies find that a majority of date rape victims were drinking.

It seems that alcohol is more widely used as a date rape drug and it is 
freely available. It is questionable what banning "date rape drugs" will 
accomplish. Rape is already illegal, however, it still occurs. This bill 
will only harm people who use politically incorrect intoxicants and not the 
more widely used (and conducive to the abuse of others) drug that is alcohol.

Pablo Miramontes
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