Photo: Getty Images
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts lawmakers are making moves to prevent spiked drinks across the Commonwealth as reports of drink-spiking are on the rise.
The Massachusetts Senate voted to approve funding for drug testing kits to be distributed to bars, restaurants, and nightlife establishments in the Bay State.
"My [babies are] 30, 32, and 34," said one local father who told WBZ's Chris Fama he believes the drug-testing kits are a good idea to prevent sexual assault. "It does make sense because you hear a lot about it in the news, you see it on the TV occasionally and it's just terrible."
Senator Paul Feeney's redrafted amendment to the 2024 fiscal budget will direct $300,000 to the Department of Public Health to purchase test kits, distribute them, and research ways to address the growing number of spiked drinks.
Read More: Norwood Man Dies In Crash In Boston's Hyde Park Neighborhood
Funds will also be directed to the Department of Public Health's division of sexual and domestic violence prevention and services "to develop and launch a strategic and comprehensive public awareness campaign to inform the public about the prevalence and danger of involuntary drink spiking." The public awareness campaign will aim to educate and inform populations deemed most at risk of being targeted for drink spiking.
There are a lot of questions surrounding the recently approved funding such as who will be administering the tests?
"What would the test entail?" one woman said. "But I think the premise is a really good idea."
"Who's going to be responsible for it, you know what kind of training goes into it?" another man said.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App | TikTok