
There’s a brand new California law that aims to protect anyone just trying to go out to relax and enjoy an adult beverage. The new law goes into full effect on July 1, 2024, and it affects any business whose primary purpose is to serve alcohol, such as bars and clubs. So any establishment with one of California’s Type 48 licenses is now legally required to provide drug testing kits to all patrons.
Drug testing devices
These new regulations aim to combat drink spiking which sadly has recently seen an uptick in frequency in California. Thankfully, the new drug testing devices will help bar patrons test their drinks on the spot to ensure no hazardous substances have been added without their knowledge.
According to the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control, drug testing devices refers to “test strips, stickers, straws, and other devices designed to detect the presence of controlled substances in a drink.” Furthermore, the testing devices are required to detect controlled substances such as flunitrazepam, ketamine, and gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB).

Safety signs for awareness
Additionally, new safety signs announcing the availability of such drug testing devices should be clearly visible for all bar patrons. The new safety signage is required to say “Don’t get roofied! Drink spiking drug test kits available here. Ask a staff member for details.”
A small price to pay
However, the new drug testing devices could come at price. The new law states that establishments “shall offer for sale to their customers drug testing devices at a cost not to exceed a reasonable amount based on the wholesale cost of those devices.” Hopefully many local establishments will include these drug testing devices alongside their custom cocktails free of charge. It’s a small price to pay for a special service to keep treasured customers safe from harm.
You can read more about Assembly Bill-1013 here.