Bars to fight 'date-rape' drug incidents

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ASPEN, Colo., Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Bartenders in Colorado say they're telling patrons not to leave drinks unattended so nobody can slip in a date-rape drug.

The drug Rohypnol -- known as "roofies" -- are prevalent in Aspen, where customers at the Belly Up music bar have been told to remove drinks left behind by people wandering off or hitting the dance floor, The Denver Post reported Sunday.

Men and women have been drugged by the amnesia-inducing pharmaceutical, and allegedly have woken up in places strange to them, often with injuries, no memory of how they got there and no sense of time.

"They are waking up in a fog, and they have lost time," said Aspen police Sgt. Dan Davis.

Aspen bar owners, residents and law enforcement officials are stepping up prevention and education.

Aspen police are setting up a Web site where suspected incidents involving Rohypnol can be reported.

An Aspen agency that normally deals with domestic violence, Response, will distribute bar napkins saying "Be Aware." The agency and law enforcement officials are also planning an educational seminar in Aspen.