Boise bar will test for drugged drinks: ‘I think this is a problem for all bars’

There wasn’t a particular incident, Kristi March says.

Nor was her concern fueled by a local trend. In fact, modern technology arguably makes Boise dance clubs less appealing to miscreants than ever.

But at The Balcony Club, 150 N. 8th St., she doesn’t want people to have to worry about drink tampering.

“Basically our goal here is to provide a really safe space for our patrons,” explains March, manager of the longtime downtown LGBTQ bar.

At the end of January, The Balcony began offering fast, free tests for potentially drugged drinks. It’s another layer of protection on top of video cameras, March says.

“I think this is a problem for all bars, all clubs,” she says. “I don’t think it only happens in big cities. I think it happens here in Boise. We’ve all heard about it.”

‘Date Rape Drug Test’

Suspicious about your cocktail, beer or wine? Head to coat check or go find a security staffer. They’ll provide a free “Date Rape Drug Test Coaster” from Drink Safe Technologies.

A drop of the drink is placed onto two test spots on the pad. If either turns a darker blue, this indicates a possible positive result for GHB or ketamine, Drink Safe says.

The Balcony Club can conduct the quick test for you, March says, and do it in a discreet place.

There are other drugs that could be used to spike drinks. And like most tests, this one is not perfect. It’s a screening tool, according to Lance Norris, president of Drink Safe Technologies. In 2013, he told the Tampa Bay Times it was “an inexpensive way to have a first line of defense if the safety of your drink is compromised.”

The Times wrote that “although Norris said that sometimes grapefruit juice, wine and some milk-based products can produce a false positive, nonalcoholic beverages can also be tested.”

Still, any test helps promote awareness. In 2019, CNN wrote about the University of New Mexico handing out Drink Safe coasters free to students.

At The Balcony Club, March encourages anyone who suspects their drink might be tainted to inform security immediately. “Because we do have cameras,” she says. “And the sooner I know, the easier it is for me to check and get the situation handled.”

Ted Challenger, who owns StrangeLove, Dirty Little Roddy’s and the Amsterdam Lounge, had not seen the Drink Safe tests. But he calls them “very interesting and handy.”

“If people tell me they want to use them, I’ll start bringing them in,” he says. “We just haven’t been having the problem anymore.”

Cameras, ID scans

To prevent drink spiking, Challenger said, he thinks video cameras and ID scans work best. “I do it at all my clubs,” says Challenger, who will take over ownership of his fourth downtown bar, Karma, 800 W. Idaho St., on April 1.

“Once we combined the cameras and scanned everybody’s ID so everybody’s held accountable of their behavior, it’s taken any kind of violence and ill behavior down by 90 percent.”

As of Feb. 7, The Balcony Club hadn’t needed to use any of the new drink tests yet, March said. As word spreads, she’s hoping maybe the cards might even act as a deterrent.

“That would be awesome,” she said. “Anything to just take extra precautions. We’re just always on high alert being a queer club in downtown Boise.”

On The Balcony Club’s Facebook page, commenters expressed appreciation.

“Thank you for keeping women safe,” wrote one, “and possibly some men also. You never know.”

This story was originally published February 11, 2022 at 4:00 AM.