MACON, Ga. — Every now and then, it's fun to go out with your friends and grab a cocktail! However, it can take just one unattended drink to be taken advantage of.
That's why one Macon bar is taking a shot at helping folks protect themselves from date rape drugs.
"We have a lot of live music, we're open six days a week. We do a lot of great cocktails,” owner of JBA Bar and Venue Brandon Lawler said.
Lawler says they opened their doors in 2019 and around 400 people walk through their doors on the weekends. He says, as a nightlife business, some crime is bound to happen.
"Drugging drinks, date rape drugs,” Lawler said. ”I will say we haven't had a direct issue here, but we have heard of issues in the downtown area over the past year or so.”
Lawler says it's hard to know if drugging drinks is happening for sure. He says there should be a way for folks to know in a simple way, so he reached out to Drink Safe Technology– a Florida-based company– and created coasters that test for two common date rape drugs.
GHB and ketamine.
"There are two tests per coaster. You're supposed to get a drop of your drink and you put one drop on each of the A and B of one test, and you kind of smear it around, and make sure that it absorbs in those spots and let it dry,” Lawler said.
He says if the dot stays white, and does not change in color, it's a negative test. If the dot turns blue you should dump out the drink.
"You can take these in your pocket, your purse. If you're here and you're going to another place, you know, take it with you. To make people more comfortable and safe not just here but everywhere,” Lawler said.
Kayra Hoyle grew up in Macon.
"I think it's a wonderful show of taking care of Macon's women,” she said.
Hoyle says it's great that JBA is helping women ease their worries.
"I have a 25-year-old daughter and I am thrilled to see that she will have this available to her,” Hoyle said.
Aryan Grush has been working as a bartender downtown Macon for the last six months.
"This should've been a thing a long time ago,” Grush said.
She says she has to constantly monitor women's drinks when they go to the bathroom, or to mingle because it's easy to be taken advantage of.
"You can't even be holding it and looking in the opposite direction talking to someone because it's, boop, that simple,” Grush said.
She says this should be widely available.
"This needs to be everywhere. I think every girl should have one in her pocket, It should be at bars on the counter so you can grab it, it should be discreet.”
According to Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, some symptoms of being drugged with these substances can be difficulty breathing, feeling drunk when little alcohol has been consumed, nausea, loss of memory and more.
Lawler says the coasters are free for folks to ask for and take. He says he would eventually love for these tests to be in all drinking establishments in Macon.
He says if any other businesses would like to reach out to him for more information about the coasters, to contact him at jbamacon@gmail.com.