New law to send drink spikers to jail.

DRINK spikers will face two-year jail terms as part of an attempt by the NSW Government to stamp out a scourge that affects up to 4000 people a year nationwide.Stricter controls could also be applied to legally available sedatives as the NSW Government becomes the first in the country to make drink spiking a specific offence.
Premier Bob Carr told parliament yesterday the new law would send "a very clear message that drink spiking is unacceptable, even as a prank".
There were an estimated 4000 drink spiking cases across the country last year. Young women were the victims in 80 per cent of cases, and one-third of the spikings resulted in sexual assault. But only one in six cases was reported to police.
"Some believe this could only be the tip of the iceberg," Mr Carr said. "The extent of drink spiking is undetermined and under-reported."

The Australian Institute of Criminology has recently described drink spiking as an "epidemic" across the country.
Drink spikers can currently be prosecuted when it is shown they intended to sexually assault or rob their target. But creating a specific offence will make it easier to charge offenders.
As part of the plan, the Carr Government will set up a Drink Spiking Action Group involving police, health department representatives and members of the liquor and gaming industries.
Mr Carr said greater controls on legal drugs, including prescription drugs sold at pharmacies and drugs available in hospitals, was also an option. Included are rapidly acting sedatives such as Rohypnol, well known as a date-rape drug.
The plan appeared to have the support of the NSW Opposition yesterday.
Opposition Leader John Brogden warned young women to be on alert in the lead-up to the annual festivities at Schoolies Week and during the school formal season.
"It's a sad tragedy that in modern life we have to worry about ... whether or not some predator has slipped something into their drink," Mr Brogden told parliament.
"The warning today is to every young woman, in particular, who goes to any bar to be careful with her drink, whether it's one bought for her or one that's sitting next to her at the bar.
"To have to be worried about that in this day and age is itself very sad. But the reality is there are some people who frankly get their kicks out of acting as predators and preying on vulnerable young women in particular."