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'Spikeless' Brand Swizzle Stick Detects Spiked Drinks
A seemingly normal "swizzle stick" that can be used to detect drugs used to spike drinks has been developed by University of British Columbia researchers.
New stir stick detects drink spiking in seconds | Lou Bosshart, University of British Columbia
— Owen Gregorian (@OwenGregorian) April 8, 2025
UBC researchers have developed a seemingly ordinary stir stick capable of detecting common drink-spiking drugs potentially preventing assaults.
UBC researchers have developed… pic.twitter.com/q2Ev7YBpIJ
(Swizzle Stick Detects Spiked Drinks)
UBC researchers have developed Spikeless, a seemingly ordinary stir stick capable of detecting common drink-spiking drugs like GHB and ketamine within 30 seconds, potentially preventing assaults.Drink spiking involves covertly adding drugs to a drink, often with the intent to cause harm or commit assault. Since gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and ketamine are tasteless and odourless, detecting them is nearly impossible without special tools...
Spikeless features a chemical-coated bioplastic tip that changes colour when it detects harmful concentrations of drugs in any drink—alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Developed at UBC’s faculty of applied science, the single-use tool is affordable and intended for large-scale use in public venues such as bars, pubs, restaurants and festivals.
The legion of science fiction fans who have enjoyed Frank Herbert's Dune (the original novel) of course remember the poison snoopers used by royalty and social climbers to make sure that food was safe to eat:
"Hawat already has our own poison snooper over the dining table," he said. "There's a portable in your room..."...Paul looked around at the clusterings of guests, the jeweled hands clutching drinks (and the unobtrusive inspections with tiny remote-cast snoopers...).
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