Mass overdose rare, date rape drug common problem

October 12, 2010 @ 5:25 am (Updated: 1:37 pm - 3/28/11 )

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By TIM HAECK
KIRO Radio
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Twelve Central Washington University students are OK after they got sick at a party at a house in Roslyn last Friday.

Investigators don't know or won't say what made all those students sick. It could have been a so-called 'date rape drug' but Harborview and Children's Hospital pediatrician Naomi Sugar says any number of drug and alcohol combinations can knock you out.

"So the symptoms are not unique among all these things, they all can present with amnesia, somebody feeling sick, vomiting, not remembering what happened to them," Sugar said.

Doctor Sugar says five to ten percent of her sexual assault patients are possible victims of a date-rape drug. Their reactions are similar.

"Initially people are just confused and then if they believe something happened to them, if somebody slipped them something they get very angry and also angry at themselves for being in that situation," Sugar said.

For underage drinkers, alcohol is obviously not hard to get. The same is true for date rape drugs, which can include sedatives and medication for sleep disorders such as insomnia and narcolepsy.

"Teenage kids will get them from the medicine cabinet at home and otherwise they're very available as street drugs," Sugar said.

Young drinkers can protect themselves from people who would spike their drink.

"People should have a buddy system and that's not just a designated driver, it's a designated person so that if one person begins feeling funny or is unable to extricate themselves, their friend can help them with that," Sugar said.

Shannon Bailie, head of Health and Wellness at the University of Washington says bringing your own alcohol to a party can actually be a good idea.

"We know it doesn't work to say 'don't drink.' But what we want to make sure students know is to watch themselves and watch their friends and pay attention to what they're drinking and how much they're drinking and where it's coming from," Bailie said.

Bailie was disturbed that nobody called for help when those dozen party-goers got sick at that house in Roslyn.

"Always, always call 911. You won't be punished for underage drinking, that's not going to be the focus, the focus is going to be getting medical attention to the people who need it," Bailie said.

The UW offers brochures to students and letters to parents of incoming freshmen about alcohol and drug abuse. It also provides counseling as well as peer advice to students about safety and prevention regarding sexual assault and relationship violence through its health and wellness office.

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Comments (5)


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  • Rick1 wrote...
    I thought rape was illegal...
    October 12, 2010 6:14 am
    Bad intentions obvious...lets arrest these punks. If your daughter was one of the 12 that was set up, you'd be calling for heads to roll.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • jpmarine wrote...
    This wasn't an accident
    October 12, 2010 6:42 am
    Only the girls drank this crap? It was obviously set up by the boys throwing the party for 1 reason. To get the girls f'd up to get a piece. They should throw the kid who threw the party and his buddies into the slammer for attemped rape, and, it sounds like one of them succeeded. Pretty sick, if it was my daughter, those little punks would never think of throwing another party by the time I was done with them. Who are these kids parents? X-frat guys that pass the secrets down to their sons?
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  • OneMoreVoice wrote...
    What is coming out about the party is really discussing.
    October 12, 2010 8:04 am
    The guys all need to be arrested for attempted rape or as accessories to rape. This is really a sad statement of the morality of some peoples kids. If it were my daughter involved I'd be bringing the law on the heads of all of the guys but especially the ones that planned the party.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    I hope these girls learned something!
    October 12, 2010 2:45 pm
    And I hope that those responcible get more that just a slap on the wrist!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shadyachmed wrote...
    jpmarine
    October 12, 2010 5:34 pm
    U have a huge burden of proof to overcome... if this was U'r daughter U'd B better served to instill better judgment in her... BYOB & stay away from losers... just sayin.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }