Pubdate: Fri, 03 Mar 2006
Source: Maple Ridge Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc
Contact:  http://www.mrtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1372
Author: Danna Johnson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?158 (Club Drugs)

MOMS WARNS TO WATCH DRINKS AFTER GIRL DRUGGED

A 20-year-old Maple Ridge woman spent Saturday night in hospital 
after allegedly inadvertently ingesting drugs while out partying with friends.

The woman's mother, who didn't want to be named, contacted the TIMES 
in effort to warn other women about the dangers facing them in local 
nightclubs.

In this situation, the 20-year-old allegedly had something slipped 
into her drink after leaving it unguarded for "just a brief moment," 
her mother said.

Thankfully, said her mom, her friends and her boyfriend noticed 
something was amiss and got the girl home.

When she got home, however, it was apparent medical intervention was required.

The young woman began hallucinating, and was rushed to hospital, 
where she began going into convulsions, her mom said.

"She was really lucky that she was with friends and that the bulk of 
her reaction took place at the hospital," she said.

Doctors were able to stabilize her, but she stayed in hospital for 
observation overnight.

"This is a real hard-knock lesson to learn ... it doesn't matter how 
careful we are, something can happen," her mom said.

Unfortunately, said Cpl. Scott Rintoul of the provincial RCMP drug 
awareness initiative, both women and men need to be on alert when 
they're out partying, as drugging is "unfortunately on the rise."

"We have these newer types of drugs that are quite prevalent today," he said.

Gone is Rohypnol, a sleeping medication that has been banned in 
Canada because of its ability to render users unconscious. Rohypnol 
has been replaced by GHB and ketamine, two drugs that are used both 
recreationally as well as in date-rape situations for their abilities 
to render users unresponsive.

While Rintoul does suggest people are more educated about the risks, 
that doesn't seem to be having an impact on how many people are victimized.

"More people are reporting it, but at the same time more people are 
becoming victimized," he explained, and it's not all women.

"Both men and women are equally vulnerable. Statistically, more 
females are assaulted sexually than males, but there's no doubt men 
have to be aware."

 From an RCMP perspective, investigating these crimes is about as 
frustrating as it gets.

"What's really frustrating is that when it comes to sex assaults 
themselves, the national average for reporting is something like 10 
per cent. In B.C. I think we're below that."

There are a lot of victims out there, he said, who choose not to 
report, and in doing so allow the offenders to get away with the 
crime over and over again.

"We have sexual offenders who are perhaps repeat offenders," Rintoul explained.

As for the weekend case at Roosters, Ridge Meadows RCMP is investigating.

And as for the mother of the young woman who was targeted, she wants 
to remind others to be extremely cautious.

And she doesn't blame the bar owners for the trouble.

"It's not the bar's fault. They can't take care of everyone," she said.

It ends up being up to individual patrons, who perhaps become less 
careful as the night wears on.

"(My daughter) should not have left her drink unattended ... after 
having a couple of drinks, we begin to make some bad choices."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom