Stir stick to detect if your drink is spiked developed by UBC researchers

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a tool to help people determine if their drinks have been spiked.

Spikeless, which looks like an ordinary stir stick, is capable of detecting common drink spiking drugs like GHB and ketamine within 30 seconds, potentially preventing assaults.

GHB, or gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, and ketamine are tasteless and odourless, so detecting them is nearly impossible.

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“Anywhere there’s a bar — clubs, parties, festivals — there’s a risk,” said Samin Yousefi, a UBC master’s student in chemical and biological engineering and the device’s co-inventor.

“People have tried cups, coasters, straws, even nail polish to detect these drugs. Our device is more discreet than existing alternatives and doesn’t contaminate the drink.”

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Spikeless has a chemical-coated bioplastic tip that changes colour when it detects drugs in any drink — alcoholic or non-alcoholic. It is a single-use tool but can be used anywhere.

The tool still requires approval from Health Canada.

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The UBC researchers hope that Spikeless will become available at venues rather than the onus being placed on individuals to provide the tool.

“Prevention has often focused on individuals, but research and long-standing community health practices show us that these approaches don’t work,” Sasha Santos, a subject matter expert with more than 20 years’ background in public health, education and violence prevention who advised the team, said in a statement.

Spikeless was conceptualized in 2011 by Dr. Johan Foster, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering, and his brother, Andrew. Over the last three years, Foster, Yousefi and their collaborators have developed the prototype at UBC and are now preparing for real-world testing while launching a startup to scale production.