Back in 2014, four students from North Carolina State University made headlines around the world due to their intriguing new concept. Their idea was a nail polish that changed color if you dipped a fingernail into a drink that had been spiked. Named “Undercover Colors”, this would be a discreet way for a woman to check if her drink had been laced with commonly used date-rape drugs such as certain benzodiazepines, Rohypnol, and GHB. While the date rape detecting nail polish featured in many major outlets and social media posts, the product ultimately never made it to market. However, this idea was followed by several other date rape drug test innovations.
Undercover Colors’ 2014 Date Rape Drug Test Concept
Undercover Colors originally started as a student project back in 2014. The idea was simple enough and would involve a product that most women used anyway: nail polish. This wasn’t your typical nail polish, though. This one would contain certain chemicals that would make the polish change color when dipped into a drink spiked with certain drugs. While an intriguing concept at the time, the idea never made it beyond the concept phase. In 2017, McGill University’s Office for Science and Society noted that the nail polish didn’t yet exist, and if it did, there would be several major issues with it.
First of all, the chemistry of real-world beverages would interfere with the results, and many drugs would not be picked up. Some people were also concerned that while these types of tests may help, they also shift responsibility from the potential perpetrators to the victims. In other words, if a person didn’t use a test or used it incorrectly, they would be blamed instead of the person who actually committed the act of spiking the drink. These are some of the reasons that the date rape detecting nail polish idea never really took off.
The SipChip Pocket Test
While the nail polish idea may have been shelved, it did give rise to another invention by the Undercover Colors team, called the SipChip. This small, single-use “lateral flow” test is kind of like a pregnancy test for your drink. The device can detect spiked drinks in around 30 seconds, with early models focusing on the detection of benzodiazepines. Basically, all you need to do is take a drop of your drink and place it in the discreet button-sized SipChip and then read the resulting lines like you would with a pregnancy test. While there is no test that can eliminate all risk, having a device that can account for a class that includes Xanax, Valium, and Rohypnol could still be helpful in many cases.
It is portable and relatively discreet and doesn’t require sticking your finger in your drink. The search for a single test is a complicated one, since the chemistry in different types of drinks can be complex. The methods of detection usually rely on specific reactions or binding sites that are specific to a select set of target molecules. Basically, that means that a particular date rape drug test that excels at picking up benzodiazepines might not necessarily be good at picking up ketamine or GHB. There are also paper-based test strips and coasters available on the market. These are typically cheap and easy to use; however, they don’t always work well with colored and sugary drinks.
Read More: Mother Reports Sexual Assault by Parasail Operator During Family Vacation
Practical Ways to Stay Safe
While these tests may offer an added layer of protection, they cannot be solely relied on. Therefore, it is important to keep a few safety checks in mind when you are out for the evening. Keep an eye out for any pours or exchanges of your drink and never leave your drink unattended. If you have lost sight of your drink at any point, rather buy a new one and don’t accept any refills from strangers. It’s also a good idea to go out with friends who will look out for you and go to places where the staff are trained to spot spikers. If you are out and start to feel symptoms such as extreme drowsiness, confusion, or dizziness, go look for a friend or staff member. If you think you have been spiked, seek medical help, but do not attempt to drive anywhere on your own.
The Bottom Line
While the color-changing nail polish was a great concept, several hurdles stood in the way of it ever making it to production. However, since then, the same team and other innovators have produced several working designs that are available on the market. However, these too have certain limitations, such as only detecting a limited drug class. Therefore, while using these tests may add another layer of potential, keeping your eyes on your drink and not accepting drinks from strangers may still be your most effective tool of prevention.
Read More: Brazilian Breakthrough Drug Shows Promise in Reversing Spinal Cord Injuries