On January 31, Congress cleared a bill (H.R. 2130) dealing with date rape drugs when the House voted 339-2 to pass the Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid Date Rape Prevention Drug Act. The measure originally passed the House on October 12, 1999, by a vote of 423-1. The Senate passed, by voice vote, an amended House version on November 19, 1999.
The final bill would place Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a drug commonly used to facilitate sexual assaults, on Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). In addition to placing GHB on Schedule I, Gamma Butyrolactione (GBL), a precursor to GHB, also would be listed as a List I chemical on the CSA. Unlike the version that passed the House last year, H.R. 2130 would not place Ketamine on the CSA. That provision was removed by the Senate during its consideration last November.
GHB is currently being studied for its use in treating narcolepsy, a sleep disorder. In the event that the Food and Drug Administration approves GHB as a treatment, H.R. 2130 would allow the drug to be later placed under Schedule III.
The bill also would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue an annual report on the status of date rape drugs and to initiate a public education campaign about their dangers. Additionally, the Department of Justice (DOJ) would be required to establish a special unit under the Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate drugs associated with sexual assault. DOJ also would be instructed to aid states in the development of tests for date rape drugs that law enforcement officials can use in the field. The President is expected to sign the measure.
