(Western Mass News – Kristin Burnell) The Massachusetts State Senate has introduced new legislation that would fund drug testing kits to be distributed to bars and nightclubs throughout the Bay State. It’s part of an effort to protect people from the potential of getting drugged while out at public places that serve alcohol.
“There’s been a huge uptick in numbers right now we’re seeing. It’s really important to remember anytime you have a spiked drink or a drugged drink, it typically always leads to another crime, in many instances, sexual assault and many instances also some type of larceny as well,” said State Senator John Velis.
It’s a growing problem across the country and in Massachusetts and it can happen to anyone: spiking drinks, whether out at a bar, restaurant, nightclub, or even at a house party.
“It’s a problem that I would argue has been ignored for a long time,” Velis noted.
Velis told Western Mass News that Massachusetts Senate is pushing to fund drug testing kits to help with the uptick of drink spiking.
“We allocated $300,000 to go to the Department of Public Health to purchase these testing kits to get out to establishments where they serve alcohol,” Velis said. “If there’s a suspicion that someone has been drugged, someone has had something put in their drink, that they can test it on the spot, which would have the impact. If there’s a positive test a kind of just all hands-on deck to help this person, whoever has had their drink spiked.”
He added that this proposal was also introduced due to many hospitals preventing victims from getting the care they need.
“Hospitals, for the most part and there are exceptions, will not test unless there has been some type of crime, so you can’t just go and say ‘Hey, I think I may have gotten drugged last night’ just to develop an idea or pattern what establishments are likely where there’s been a lot of spiked drinks happening,” Velis explained.
However, how do local bars feel about this proposal?
“It’s one thing to offer something and another thing to require it of the businesses. Does that open up a can of worms if we become responsible for having those on-hand and then when they don’t become available, do we have to have them on-hand?” said Bill Stetson, owner of the Rumbleseat Bar and Grille in Chicopee.
Stetson told us while he understands the angle of the proposed legislation, he believes there is a bigger issue surrounding spiked drinks.
“That’s a big difference between being at a house party and being a public place where you’re served by competent people and you’ve got other favors here, which is other guests who are probably not in the same level of intoxication as a house party and you also have surveillance. In my case, we’ve got 25 cameras,” Stetson added.
Meanwhile, Velis said the allocated funding is a good start to see if it’s an adequate way of dealing with the drink-spiking crisis in Massachusetts.
“We will want to get feedback from the bars, restaurants that have used it. We want to make sure that this is something that is going to deal with the problem head-on. There’s also a bill filed that would codify this and make it an ongoing recurring thing,” Velis said.
As for what comes next, Velis said he expects it to head to Governor Maura Healey’s desk in the months ahead.
“This is a precursor to an actual bill or law happening, so it’s a good start. I have every reason to believe that it will survive the conference committee and get to the governor’s desk,” Velis said.