Pubdate: Sat, 20 Nov 1999 Source: Houston Chronicle (TX) Copyright: 1999 Houston Chronicle Contact: http://www.chron.com/ Forum: http://www.chron.com/content/hcitalk/index.html Author: Andrew Broman, Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau SENATE OKS BILL TO TARGET `DATE-RAPE DRUG' ABUSERS WASHINGTON -- The Senate approved a bill Friday to crack down on abusers of so-called "date-rape drugs." The legislation is named for girls from Texas and Michigan who died after consuming drug-laced soft drinks. If signed into law, the bill would put gamma hydroxybutyric acid -- an odorless drug that can be made at home -- in the same category as hard drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. "This is one of the most important pieces of legislation to pass the Senate," said Sen. Spencer Abraham, a Michigan Republican who sponsored the bill. "These date-rape drugs are wreaking havoc on our youth. It's time to crack down on those sexual predators that use them." A similar measure breezed through the House last month 423- 1. Only Rep. Ron Paul, R-Surfside, voted against the bill, saying the federal government has no constitutional authority to regulate drug use. The Senate bill passed by a voice vote. A few drops of the colorless substance in a soft drink can render the consumer unconscious in less than a half-hour. Victims frequently have no memory of what happened. The drug is difficult to trace and leaves the body within 24 hours. Over the past decade, at least 32 deaths have been linked to GHB. The Drug Enforcement Administration, which supports the legislation, reported that more than 3,500 people have overdosed on the drug. The bill would make it illegal to possess GHB with the intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense it. The crime could bring up to 20 years in prison. Exceptions would be made for GHB clinical studies approved by the Food and Drug Administration to determine if the drug helps with medical problems such as narcolepsy, a sleeping disorder. The legislation was named for two girls who died after consuming the drug. One was 17-year-old Hillory Farias of La Porte, Texas, who died in 1996. The other was a 15-year-old Michigan girl, Samantha Reid, whose January death was blamed on GHB. Abraham's bill is almost identical to the House version, which was sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston. Senate aides said the two bills are similar enough that the House probably will go along with Abraham's version and send it to President Clinton for his signature. - --- MAP posted-by: Greg