In a nightclub, in a bar, at a festival or at a neighborhood festival in summer, it can happen that a person - almost always a woman - becomes nauseous and dizzy, can no longer hold herself upright and then needs help. This is often offered by a nice, unknown man. The woman eventually falls unconscious. As a rule, she can no longer remember exactly what happened. When she wakes up hours later, often in the bushes of a park, she is unharmed but has the certain feeling that she has had sex.
However, the exact sequence of events completely escapes her. A medical examination will confirm the sexual act. At the same time, those affected usually only find out at the medical facility that they have been the victim of KO drops. Important to know: We can offer an effective KO drops test. The much-advertised KO drop bracelet, on the other hand, hardly works or does not work at all.
Effects of KO drops
The police, women's helplines and forensic medicine institutes are familiar with the relevant descriptions following the administration of KO drops. The symptoms are described relatively uniformly:
- Sudden nausea with nausea
- a feeling "as if in absorbent cotton"
- Perceptual disorders
- Lack of will
- Inability to move
- Film tear for hours
It is the substances contained in the KO drops that cause such symptoms and cloud consciousness. When they reach the brain in sufficient quantities, they cause a loss of memory. They trigger anterograde amnesia, which erases new memories. After all, this is exactly what the perpetrators are after: they want the victims to no longer remember the most recent event - in 99% of cases a sexual assault.
Unfortunately, the clearance rate of such crimes is still too low because toxicological tests that specifically search for the substances in question are rarely carried out in cases of suspicion. Very often, emergency rooms are overloaded and send people with memory problems home without an examination because their story sounds too bizarre or because alcohol is assumed to be the trigger. They are then advised to come back when their memory has become clearer. By then, however, it is too late for detection because the substances in the blood and urine have already largely broken down.
What substances are involved?
More than 30 different substances have already been detected using functional KO drop tests. Leading the hit list:
- Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), known as the party drug liquid ecstasy, whose derivatives are also used in anesthesia
- Gammabutyrolactone (GBL), which the body converts to GHB
- Ketamine
- Barbiturates
- Antihistamines
- Clozapine
- Benzodiazepines
- tricyclic antidepressants
There have been indications of the abuse of GHB and its precursor GBL since the late 1990s. However, KO drops were probably used even earlier. But for a long time, doctors did not find any evidence of GHB abuse because they did not look for it. This substance is also produced naturally by our metabolism. GHB is similar to the arousal-inhibiting neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), to whose binding sites sleeping pills and tranquillizers dock. Synthetic GHB is available on prescription, but the basic substance GBL is also relatively readily available without a prescription because it is a basic substance in the chemical industry.
Chemically skilled people can use it to produce GHB, which is water-clear and odorless. It only tastes slightly salty, but this taste is masked by the cocktails into which the perpetrators pour the KO drops. These generally have a dampening effect. The effects set in after 15 to 30 minutes at the latest. At first, the GHB relaxes in the initially low concentration, leads to an increased need for contact and often to sexual stimulation. Once the body has processed the substance further, it intoxicates the victim, eventually producing the nausea and other consequences described above and can even lead to a coma with a drop in blood pressure, hypothermia, respiratory arrest, seizures and falls in the event of an overdose. There is always a potential risk of overdose because there is only a small safety margin between a dose having the desired effect and a life-threatening effect.
The Forensic Toxicology Department at the University of Frankfurt is involved in KO drop tests two to three times a month. The head toxicologist, Prof. Gerold Kauert, points out that there can also be other causes for the symptoms described, but that he always advises appropriate testing. Not only sexual offenses, but even robberies and murders have been prepared with the KO drops. The victims of the latter crimes are predominantly men. However, such cases occur far less frequently than sexual assaults on women. Police officers and doctors advise them never to leave their open drinks unattended at a public party.
How does the legislator deal with KO drops?
In general, perpetrators, if they can be identified, are prosecuted for grievous bodily harm and, if proven, for rape or another criminal offense. However, both investigations and evidence of criminal offenses are usually unsuccessful. This is why the US state of California is now taking a different approach: from July 2024, a new law will make it mandatory for operators of nightclubs, bars, festivals and other events with public access to offer KO drop tests. This has two effects:
- #1 Potential victims obtain tangible proof and thus protection on site. Anyone who suspects an attack with KO drops due to initial symptoms can test themselves immediately and, if the result is positive, contact a known person before the onset of weakness of will or, if necessary, alert the supervisory staff. In this way, the person can get to safety.
- #2 Visitors are made aware of the danger simply by being offered KO drop tests.
Other countries will be keeping a close eye on developments in California. It would be desirable for them to follow suit.
How can KO drops be tested?
The KO drop bracelet has been around for some time, but has been criticized by experts and scene connoisseurs alike. It has a test field that is supposed to indicate the presence of GHB in a drink. To do this, a few drops must be dripped onto the test field, which would change color if gamma hydroxybutyrate were detected. There are several problems with this:
- a) Gamma hydroxybutyrate is by no means the only substrate in KO drops. Clozapine, benzodiazepines, antidepressants and other substances are not detected by the KO Drops bracelet.
- b) The detection of GHB would produce a blue discoloration. However, this is difficult or even impossible to detect in the typical UV light in nightclubs.
- c) If the drink is a red wine, cola or rum, it influences the color reaction.
- d) Very often the KO drop bracelet is offered without proof of official testing. This means that it is not a medical device and is therefore not subject to any strict requirements.
However, there are sensible providers who do sell the KO drop bracelet, but do not promise too much, not least because the Health Claims Regulation prohibits excessive advertising with a "medical product". However, they point out that a KO Drop bracelet promotes mindfulness and can also deter potential offenders. These are good arguments, but they do not help against the tangible effect of KO drops.
Our KO Drops Test DrinkCheck
Our DrinkCheck rapid test for KO drops (ketamine and GHB) is a much more reliable test strip than the KO drop wristband. The wristband suggests safety with apparent convenience because it is easy to wear and handling appears to be uncomplicated. However, a DrinkCheck test strip is just as easy to dip into a glass. This precaution is important because subsequent detection of KO drops very often fails because the substances in the urine and blood have already broken down. Hair analysis, which would be possible for much longer, is usually not very useful either: experts consider it unsuitable for detecting GHB and ketamine.
This is because the body produces GHB itself in small quantities and the single administration in the form of KO drops could only exceed this level so slightly that the test accuracy is within the standard deviation. Nevertheless, the amount in a liquid is enough to knock out the victim.
There are now two KO drop tests on the market: the test strip, as we offer it, and the KO drop wristband. The wristbands are sensitive to splashing water, and the test area is difficult to recognize and sometimes even poorly marked. Some offers also lack any indication of the essential color reaction. The bracelets do not detect ketamine at all, but it is one of the most common substances in KO drops.
An invaluable advantage of the test strips is their safe storage in the packaging until the moment of use. The wristbands are naturally subject to various impurities in the air, which ultimately make them virtually unusable.
Last but not least, our DrinkCheck KO drop quick test is cheaper than most wristbands. These are offered at relatively high prices as an accessory for nightclubs.
DrinkCheck K.O. Tropfen Schnelltest zur Erkennung von Ketamin, GHB, Scopolamin und Kokain
Der DrinkCheck K.O. Tropfen Schnelltest wurde entwickelt, um die Anwender vor den gefährlichen Auswirkungen von Ketamin, GHB, Scopolamin und Kokain zu schützen. Diese chemischen Substanzen werden oft heimlich in Getränken platziert, um Opfern bewusstlos zu machen oder sie zu desorientieren.
2,85 € / Piece
excl. VAT
plus shipping costs
Delivery time: approx. 1-2 working days
One packaging unit (PU) contains: 1 piece
Use of the DrinkCheck KO drop rapid test
The test strip is 8 cm long. It has two test areas for GHB and ketamine. It is very easy to use:
- #1 Open the packaging at the prefabricated point
- #2 Remove test
- #3 Place one drop of the drink on the pink and one drop on the yellow test spot (for GHB and ketamine)
- #4 Wait 15 seconds
- #5 Observe discoloration (orange or blue for ketamine or GHB)
The packaging is waterproof, weighs just two grams and measures 6.1 x 11.1 x 0.1 cm. This allows you to carry several test strips in your wallet. The DrinkCheck KO Drop Rapid Test has been independently validated by CTLS (UK Clinical Trials Laboratory Services) and the University of Strathclyde.
Conclusion
Our DrinkCheck KO drops quick test is designed to protect you at parties and any other event where we also advise caution. Although it rarely happens, at private, non-public events a perpetrator could pour KO drops into a glass, perhaps even from a friend or acquaintance.
