Drug-detection kits unreliable

United Press International

LIVERPOOL, England, Feb. 6 -- A study by the Center for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University finds some kits for detecting date rape drugs in drinks are unreliable.

The tests for rohypnol -- roofies -- and gamma hydrozybutyrate -- better known as GHB -- were touted as a way for women to guarantee their drinks hadn't been doctored.

The Liverpool Daily Post reports the study found the kits often gave wrong or misleading results and the results were difficult to read in dimly lit bars.

"Public concern about the use of illegal drugs in sexual assaults can take the focus away from the most commonly used date-rape drug, alcohol," said Dr. Caryl Beynon, lead author of the report. "Buying someone larger drinks, encouraging them to drink beyond their capacity, or slipping shots into lower alcohol drinks are a far more common and effective way of drink-spiking."