(COLUMBUS) - Ohio lawmakers have introduced legislation aimed at preventing drink spiking by requiring bars and restaurants to make date rape drug testing kits available to customers.
Senate Bill 348 would require alcohol-serving establishments to provide testing devices either free of charge or at wholesale cost. The kits are designed to detect substances such as Rohypnol, commonly known as roofies, which are often associated with drug-facilitated sexual assault.
The bill was introduced Tuesday by Bill DeMora and Louis Blessing III. Supporters say drink spiking is widely underreported and remains a persistent problem, particularly near college campuses.
Lawmakers backing the proposal point to studies suggesting that many incidents are never reported and that roughly one in thirteen college-aged individuals believe they may have been drugged at some point.
The legislation is intended to give customers a way to check their drinks before consuming them and to encourage businesses to take a more active role in preventing drink tampering.
The bill has been introduced but has not yet received a committee hearing.