Going home for the holidays: cheer or drear?

COURTESY // darkimp.com

Winter break is just around the corner for all of us burnt-out college students. Returning home can be a nice change of pace from school but stressful situations are bound to arise. Whether that be navigating through old friendships, getting overwhelmed by family members or worrying about overspending on holiday gifts. 

This is not an uncommon occurrence, this season is notorious for rises in stress levels. A recent study done by the American Psychiatric Association found that, “31% of adults say they expect to feel more stressed this upcoming holiday season compared to last.” The question is; how do we combat this unwanted stress?

Alyssa Samuli, a fourth year at SSU, shared her tactics for staying sane through winter break, “I really just do things that I enjoy. Although it’s important to make time for friends and family, I think it’s even more important to do things for yourself. I make a lot of time for myself to recharge because before you know it, the next semester begins.”

Making time for yourself can be as simple as going for a walk around the block while taking in the fresh air. Going for a drive and listening to music can also be an effective way to recharge. Watching your favorite comfort show or movie can also bring on some peace. You can even try something new and treat yourself to a movie. It’s important to find a method that works best for you. 

Another difficult part of returning home for the first time in a while can be navigating through old friendships. College allows students to gain new perspectives and grow as individuals. Sometimes this can mean outgrowing hometown friends. 

In an interview with the STAR, Hutchins major Amanda Lewis shared her experience with friends. “I think it’s important to remind yourself that you are constantly changing and adapting to your environment, which looks different for everybody.” Lewis then goes on to offer some advice. “I would definitely say to cut yourself some slack when it comes to losing friendships. It’s meant to happen, and outgrowing past friendships allows you to pour more energy into your current, evolving friendships.” 

Despite the increasing stress levels around the holidays there is still much to look forward to. Christmas movies playing on many channels all month long. The return of holiday themed Starbucks cups. Going to buy a fresh pine tree with your family or friends. And who doesn’t love seeing all of the houses decorated festively with Christmas decorations?

The holidays can still be a fun and relaxing time, regardless of stressful situations that can arise. Many students miss their families when they are away at school, so try to make the best out of the time you have with your family. College goes by quickly so make the most out of every moment including vacations. 

CAPS: Blanket treatment in need of patches

Sonoma State University’s Counseling and Psychological Services department (CAPS) has been made a catch-all for students struggling with their mental health but multiple students perceive CAPS as a performative band-aid. While there are numerous students with CAPS success stories, there are also many students who feel they were allowed to slip through the cracks of the mental health system leaving them worse off than before.  

This was the case for a now second year communications and media studies student. At the end of the Fall 2021 semester, the student was at an all time low with their mental health so they turned to CAPS. “I had high hopes going in, just relieved I’d have someone to talk to about what I’d been going through, but my counseling session went horribly. I talked to her about how depressed and upset I was and she said that in this one session I’d have to pick one thing to discuss and we’d resolve it by the end. Not only was I limited, that one issue did not get ‘resolved’,” the student said. 

The student left the session visibly upset and feeling mentally worse off than when they’d gone in. “No one reached out about another session, no referrals for long-term therapy or a therapist in the area were made. I was left completely alone to deal with my mental health. It’s such a shame because therapy outside of the school even with insurance is often unaffordable to the point that people don’t seek treatment. And the resources that we have here free to us (that we pay for with our tuition) are not helping. I have hope for CAPS at SSU but they need to wake up and realize that serious reform needs to happen,” they said. 

In an email exchange with the STAR, Andrew Kerlow-Myers, Ph.D., CAPS Clinical Coordinator & Licensed Psychologist wrote, “We sometimes do brief periodic check-ins with students in concurrent therapy just so they feel they are connected to someone here on campus who could help them in a crisis.” Unfortunately, the sophomore communications student didn’t receive these check-ins. 

Another student explained that the negative experience of a former roommate has dissuaded them from considering turning to CAPS themself. Third-year business major Mark Oshiro explained that their former roommate had turned to CAPS at a difficult time. Initially, CAPS was helpful, but eventually the roommate began to feel harassed by the service. Oshiro said, “Because my roommate didn’t pick up their call, CAPS sent someone over to my dorm even though my roommate clearly told them he wasn’t gonna be home. After hearing how invasive they were I was like, fuck, then I ain’t gonna go to them if I need help.” 

Fourth year sociology student Ryan Harris described their experience with CAPS as complicated. Harris met with two separate therapists during his time with CAPS and while he did feel they helped, he felt frustrated with the service’s policies. Previously, Harris had been seeing a therapist through Kaiser but at the time, wait times were long and he needed immediate help. “Even after I told the therapist wait times through Kaiser suck and I didn’t want to wait six weeks to talk to someone, she told me the allowed amount of sessions I could have was cut in half. It was something about their increased demand I believe. It was kind of a ‘your next one will have to be your last’,” Harris said. As soon as CAPS found out Harris had the opportunity to see a therapist through Kaiser, despite the lack of convenience or unrealistic wait times, the amount of sessions he was allowed was cut leading Harris to feel cast aside. 

According to CAPS, if a student has an ongoing relationship with an external therapist, the standards of the field state that they should not provide therapy to a student. Kerlow Myers wrote, “If a student will not be able to have appointments with their home therapist during the semester, they can have individual therapy here (sometimes we will need to consult with their home therapist to ensure they are in agreement).” However, many SSU students, like Harris, have been diverted away from CAPS and instead toward those other services, despite the student not currently receiving external treatment. 

The CAPS website explains the number of individual therapy appointments a student is entitled to is ‘limited’ because CAPS operates on a short-term model. CAPS determines the amount of sessions a student can be allotted based on what they deem they think the student needs, how much they want services, and their available resources. “Clinicians often have a discussion with students about session expectations at their first appointment, unless the student is in crisis in which case other topics take priority,” Kerlow-Myers wrote. 

It appears this short term model leaves many students feeling discarded, however in true crisis situations it’s effective. 

Senior history major Elysha Ozanian got the help she needed when she turned to CAPS. “During spring semester I had a really hard time and found myself on the door steps of CAPS in tears. From the woman who helped me get a same day appointment to the man who helped guide me to the appropriate level of help after our appointment I am so thankful for the CAPS team on campus,” Ozanian said. 

During the COVID-19 lockdown, CAPS was the only form of counseling fourth-year communications student Ana Fingerson could get. “I was already super limited because of my insurance but in desperate need of just talking to a professional. Thankfully, I had CAPS who also gave me resources while I sought out a better fit,” Fingerson said.

Alexandra Troia, fourth year early childhood studies major, had a similar experience to Fingerson where she received help from CAPS during COVID. Troia adored their therapist, who was knowledgeable about the areas she needed help. It was a perfect match. Troia said, “I learned a lot about how to cope with my experiences, and it felt like I was really cared about and prioritized so I feel lucky on that end for sure!”

Troia’s only complaint about CAPS was consistent with the complaints from other students, that sessions are limited and communication about the limits can be lacking. Troia was informed of the session limit after she’d already begun therapy. “I found out after a few sessions that there was a limit, the therapist told me that they were just starting the limit because they were having an increase in students seeking out Services. She did however allow me to keep going with our schedule because I was not aware of this when we started so I got some extra sessions. The process of finishing my sessions was a little abrupt and I didn't get much of a follow-up from her after,” Troia said. 

Kerlow-Myers explained in the email that SSU clinicians have served 403 unique students, for a total of 1463 individual and group therapy appointments. Additionally, CAPS’ most recent annual satisfaction survey found 96% of student respondents felt their counselor demonstrated care, concern, and respect for them. The surveys also revealed 91% of respondents would recommend CAPS services to other students. 

Addison Smith, a former news reporter for the STAR, heard some interesting insights in interviews with students while researching for an article during the Fall 2021 semester. “A lot of people I talked to said they just kind of clicked through their surveys so I don’t know how accurate those stats are,” Smith said. 

While CAPS has provided fulfilling services to some students, there appears to be a disconnect with the department's perspective towards struggling students. This disconnect has led to worsening mental health and stress in many cases and considering $66 of every SSU student’s tuition pays for CAPS services, no students should be in a position where they feel they can’t get help or talk to someone. 

Election results are in, was your voice heard?

COURTESY // canva.com

Last week, citizens all across the United States went to the polls to vote and have their voice heard in the midterm election. As usual, all House of Representatives seats were up for election as well as 35 Senate seats. Results are not final yet, but with a majority of votes counted, many races have been called.

Democrats now control the Senate, with 50 seats. One seat is still up in the air until Georgia’s runoff election in early December. If the Republican candidate wins the runoff election, Democrats will still have a majority, since the tying vote goes to Vice President Kamala Harris. 

In California, voters reelected Gavin Newsom and he will remain Governor of California, serving another four year term. 

California also voted on many different propositions in this midterm election. According to the Associated Press, California voters voted yes on Proposition 28 increasing spending on art programs in the U.S. This means that an estimated $1 billion will be set aside for funding music and arts education. 

Both propositions involving sports betting failed to pass, as well as a proposition that would’ve imposed a tax to support the purchase of electric vehicles. Proposition 29, which would have regulated staffing at kidney dialysis clinics also did not pass. This is good news as the proposition would have required clinics to hire more physicians, which would increase costs and could cause reduced hours or clinic closures.  

A majority of California voted yes on Proposition 31, upholding state laws that ban the sale of flavored tobacco. This protects the youth in California since many kids who start using tobacco start with a flavored product. According to Cal Matters, “This law would prevent companies from targeting kids and teens with advertising for flavored products.” 

Arguably, one of the most important propositions on California’s ballot this year was Proposition 1, which guarantees abortion rights in the state constitution. California voted yes for Proposition 1, securing the right to abortion and contraceptives. The overturning of Roe v. Wade in June left it up to individual states to decide whether abortion is legal or not. 

California was one of five states that had abortion referendums on the ballot. California, Michigan and Vermont all voted yes on adding explicit protection to abortion access. Kentucky voted no on amending their constitution to state that there is no right to abortion, which would have allowed for more restrictions. According to the New York Times, the measure in Montana “would criminalize health care providers who do not attempt life-saving care when an abortion results in a live birth, a very rare circumstance.” A majority of Montana’s citizens voted no on this measure.

SSU senior, Jessica Valdez, who was nominated to represent Sonoma State at a White House roundtable discussion with the Vice President to discuss abortion rights, said in an interview with SSU news, “It’s very terrifying when someone doesn’t have control over their own body. And taking abortion rights away means people are no longer in control of their own bodies. Simple as that. Abortion is a survival tool. And a lot of birthing people around the country suddenly don’t have access to that basic right anymore.”

The outcomes of these elections impact millions of people, so it is important to get out there and vote, even for midterm elections. According to day-after estimates from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), “27% of young people (ages 18-29) turned out to vote in the 2022 midterm election.” This is likely the second highest turnout rate for young voters since 2018’s historic 31% turnout rate.

Times are changing...

STAR// Javier Hernandez

This past weekend most states in the United States moved back their clocks one hour when the time hit 2 a.m. to “fall back” and conclude the end of “daylight savings” for the year. With the exception of Arizona and Hawaii, the U.S. is back in standard time for the next four months until we “spring forward” in March. This is a yearly tradition that was first observed in the U.S. over 100 years ago in 1918. 

Recently, the topic of whether or not we should continue with this tradition has become a debate, with the Senate passing the Sunshine Protection Act in March of 2022. This new act would get rid of the yearly time changes and Americans would no longer have to move back their clocks. The United States would permanently stay in daylight savings time. 

Although as of today this act still needs to be approved by the House as well as President Biden to become a law. There is still an interesting discussion to be had on whether this is a good idea or not. 

The STAR asked students about how they felt about the debate, “I support the Sunshine Protection Act because it would make things consistent. We would no longer have to worry about changing the clocks. I really hope the President and the House pass the bill soon so it becomes a law,” said fourth-year John Bayer. 

An argument that is made by those opposing the bill is that the sun wouldn’t come out until very late in the morning. The main worry of this is that it could lead to more accidents in the morning when people are commuting to work in the dark. People who work outside could also be impacted by the dark mornings as they wouldn’t be able to start until the sun comes out.

Fourth-year student Jaden Reiter said, “I personally am against the Sunshine Protection Act because of dark mornings. There will be so many people impacted including students, commuters and people who work outside that need sunlight to be able to do their jobs. I also can’t forget to mention the impact this could have on mental health with seasonal depression because of the longer, dark, cold winters.”  

Letters to the Editor

We, the students of the Chicano and Latino Studies Department (CALS), are writing to address the importance of student advocacy, faculty support and to clarify any misinformation regarding the ongoing changes in the Department.

This past week, we collaborated in drafting a Call to Action (CTA) Letter, addressing our concerns regarding the quality of education provided by the former Chair Professor Dr. Ronald Lopez of the CALS department.

The dignity and respect of our community members is of utmost importance. Our intentions in addressing departmental areas of growth, demonstrate our commitment and care
to the CALS department discipline, students and faculty. Being a traditionally marginalized field of study, we have to consciously and critically understand the possible negative repercussions upon our department.

Sonoma State STAR must be held accountable to accurately relaying information to the Sonoma State Community. We asked the STAR to maintain discretion, to allow us the opportunity to address our experiences and concerns in response to the Call to Action; they instead decided to publish their narrative regarding the ongoing events, consequently misrepresenting our intentions.

The SSU STAR must respect our efforts in maintaining discretion regarding internal affairs between the department. The publishing of this article has jeopardized our accountability efforts by publicly misrepresenting our intentions and perpetuating a harmful image of the department without recognizing their endless efforts of support.

It is important to acknowledge that the efforts and actions of one individual person are not representative of the entire department and discipline. Since addressing our concerns, the CALS department has continuously demonstrated their commitment in supporting and amplifying student voices.

The Ethinic Studies Discipline and Curricula already lacks priority throughout the American Education System and Academic Institutions, a field of study primarily upheld by student activists. In our efforts of institutional and departmental accountability we understand the severity of addressing growth and development within our department in correlation to the possibility of more “budget cuts''. In our commitment in advocating for an equitable education at Sonoma State University, we must acknowledge and value the existing limitations of our marginalized field of study, like perhaps the CALS department barely affording printing paper.

To the former students of the Chicano Latino Studies department who have actively advocated for department accountability, thank you for your advocacy and support, we could not have carried forward with this action without you.

In Lak’ech,
Students of the Chicano Latino Studies Department

We voted; you should, too

The Star editorial board came together to look at this election's propositions and help inform undecided voters. For more information on our recommendations head to sonomastatestar.com

Prop 1: Guarantee Abortion Rights In State Constitution [YES]

Vote Yes on Proposition 1: Proposition 1 looks to secure abortion rights in the state of California. It will embed the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion and whether or not to use contraceptives, along with a promise that the state cannot act on constituent’s reproductive rights into the California constitution. With all of the uncertainty after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the more protections we instill now, the less we will have to worry about our rights being taken away down the line. This proposition is backed by supporters like Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Diane Feinstein, and Hilary Clinton. 

Prop 28: Arts and Music Education Funding [YES]

Vote Yes on Proposition 28: Proposition 28 requires California to allocate money from its public school and community college state budget to fund expanded arts programs in schools. This funding will prioritize low-income students. 80% of the funding given to schools will be used to hire new art and music teachers and staff. This proposition is backed by famous names like Barbara Streisand and Sylvester Stalone. Putting money into creative programs such as music and art will hopefully help to support mental health among students.

 Prop 31: Uphold Flavored Tobacco Ban [YES]

Vote Yes on Proposition 31: Proposition 31 will put into action a law which was decided on in 2020. Senate Bill 793 bans the sale of flavored tobacco products and other associated items. It is important to put the health of the people, especially our youth, before the money these sales could generate. The goal of this bill moving forward is to lower smoking rates in general, along with trying to bring down the data on young smokers. 80% of youth smokers start smoking with a flavored nicotine product. This proposition is supported by the American Lung Association, American Heart Association, and the California PTA. 

Prop 30: Tax Millionaires for Electric Vehicle Programs [YES]

Vote Yes on Proposition 30: Proposition 30 will create a new fund which will assist California in lowering its greenhouse gas emissions, hopefully no later than 2043. This fund will be created by introducing a new tax on high income Californians. High income Californians will be required to pay an additional 1.75% tax on any income over two million dollars. The money will be used to fund Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV), as well as support wildfire prevention. 80% of the money will go towards ZEVs and assisting to create more infrastructure for ZEVs, and 20% will go towards wildfire response, including hiring and training new firefighters. This proposition is supported by Cal Fire Local 2881, California’s largest fire department and the second largest fire department in the USA, as well as California Environmental Voters.

Prop 26: Sports Betting at Tribal Casinos [YES]

Vote Yes on Proposition 26: Proposition 26 will allow in-person sports betting at tribal casinos and horse tracks in California. This proposition will also introduce new forms of gambling at tribal casinos that were previously illegal. With the money that these businesses will be taxed to offer these new services, tens of millions of dollars will be generated for the state, as well as more money coming in for tribes. Patrons will now also have the option to sue a casino or race track if they feel gaming laws are being violated. These lawsuits may also generate money for the state. This proposition is supported by 27 tribes and tribal organizations, led by tribes with casinos including Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, the NAACP, California-Hawaii state conference, and State Treasurer Fiona Ma. 

Vote No on Proposition 26: Proposition 26 will allow in-person sports betting at tribal casinos and horse tracks in California. This proposition will also introduce new forms of gambling at tribal casinos that were previously illegal. While this proposition would generate more money for California, it will do so at the cost of promoting additional gambling. Some casinos allow adults as young as 18 years old to participate, which could encourage gambling among a very young demographic. Also, horse racing is currently on a decline in popularity, something that animal groups are happy about. With the introduction of sports betting at horse tracks, it could spur a new interest in an industry that would be better off slowly fizzling out. This proposition is opposed by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals chapters and local humane societies, as well as the California Black Chamber of Commerce and California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Prop 27: Allow Online Sports Betting [NO]

Vote Yes on Proposition 27: Proposition 27 allows tribes and online gambling companies to offer online sports betting. Those participating tribes and online gambling companies will be required to pay regulatory fees to the state, along with payments into a new fund to address homelessness. This new fund would be called the “California Online Sports Betting Trust Fund”, which is used for state regulatory costs first, then the remaining money will be split: 85% to fight homelessness and gambling addiction, and 15% to tribes who are not involved in sports betting, so that they can still benefit from these new changes. In order for gambling companies to operate this new service, they will need to make a deal with a tribe. The proposition will create a new division in the Department of Justice in charge of regulating online sports betting; they will receive power both to watch over illegal betting, as well as to decide whether or not to add new forms of betting on different areas of entertainment, like video games. This proposition is supported by FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and four other gaming companies, which are funding the measure; three Native American tribes; and the mayors of Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland, and Long Beach.

Vote No on Proposition 27: Proposition 27 allows tribes and online gambling companies to offer online sports betting. Those participating tribes and online gambling companies will be required to pay regulatory fees to the state, along with payments into a new fund to address homelessness. While generating new money to support this major problem in our state would be nice, it would be at the expense of gamblers, and those addicted to gambling. Online gambling can be tricky as it becomes difficult to verify the age of the user, and will essentially turn every phone and computer into a gambling device, a main concern of those opposed. This proposition is opposed by 50 Native American tribes and tribal organizations, Governor Gavin Newsom, and the California Teachers Association. 

Prop 29: Impose New Rules on Dialysis Clinics [NO]

Vote No on Proposition 29: Proposition 29 will impose a set of new requirements on California dialysis clinics. These include requiring clinics to have new staff on hand, such as a physician, requiring clinics to report data to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and requiring clinics to get consent from the CDPH if they want to close or reduce hours. While additional regulations on such an important service seems like it would be the best option, opponents state that these new obligations will be dangerous for dialysis patients, as the need to hire new staff will cost money, and this could force clinics to reduce hours or shut down altogether. Dialysis clinics are already highly regulated, and have trained and licensed staff on hand. This proposition is opposed by the American Nurses Association, and the California Medical Association.

Students troubled by current state of the world

COURTESY // flickr.com

Impending doom. How does one cope with the absurdity of life? College students are not only dealing with school but are also having to consider the state of the world. The idea is that after obtaining a degree, we finally get ‘real jobs’ and start a life for ourselves. We are sold this idea that a degree will secure a bright future. This idea however, is not taking into consideration things like a global pandemic, climate change or a faulty economy. 

In an interview with the STAR, Alyssa Samuli, a Hutchins liberal studies major shared her thoughts on the future, “It’s been really stressful to be so close to graduating and thinking about the future when the state of the world is dwindling right in front of me.” Samuli is a fourth year student at SSU. “While I want to be excited for life beyond college, I am often plagued by the uncertainty of what’s to come.”

The majority of incoming college students are part of Generation Z, which has oftentimes been noted as the coddled generation. Deemed as sensitive, it’s actually because of their transparency when it comes to mental health. Instead, the reason ‘zoomers’ have created less of a stigma around seeking treatments for mental health could be due to the popularity of social media. 

With this access to technology at everyone’s fingertips, it is not only easier to access information but to also express one’s emotions more openly. This creates a space for people to share and connect with others who are going through a similar situation. 

Amanda Lewis, a fourth year at Sonoma State voiced her concerns with the STAR, “Due to all the conflict that is happening across the world, I have definitely experienced more anxiety about what life will look like after college. I believe that a lot of college students, myself included, feel nervous about the consequences of certain events that have recently occurred, and how this might play into obstacles we will face in the near future. It feels like there is so much unease and anger, and I really hope that there can be solutions that prioritize the mental and physical well-being of groups that are affected by all of this tension.”

The spread of COVID-19 was a life changing event. No one could have predicted that we would be living through a global pandemic in our lifetime. It’s important to acknowledge that we have shown incredible resilience. One of the most important things to do in these uncertain times is to preserve one’s mental well-being. Whether that be through seeking professional help or taking periods of time to step away from current events. There are simply some things that are beyond our control.

Emilia Torres, fourth year communications major said “It’s difficult being reminded of the many issues going on in the world on a daily basis. While they are obviously all important, it feels like a daunting challenge to be up against because the issues are so huge.” 

We must continue to live every day as we see fit. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by ‘impending doom’ but take solace in the fact that we are living through these events as a collective. The state of the world is not resting on your shoulders alone. 

Sonoma sets benchmark for student voting

STAR // Nicholas Roth

The right to vote when a person turns 18 is not something that is always exercised as an American citizen.  We as the student body have the power to make collective change in the right direction with the power of voting.  In the 2016 Presidential election the national student voting rate was 52 percent.  In the 2020 presidential election there was a significant rise in voter turnout on the student level to 66 percent of the 83 percent registered to vote, according to The Institute for Democracy in Higher Education (IDHE) at Tufts University.  

Here at Sonoma State however, the voting rate of registered students smashes the national average with 88 percent of registered voters casting their ballots in the 2020 election according to Tufts University NSLVE Campus Report for Sonoma State.  This was a massive increase from the 2018 midterm election turnout of 57 percent.  There were especially large jumps in voter turnout between 2018 and 2020 in the age groups of 18-21 and 22-24.  For 18-21 year olds it increased from 37 to 76 percent, and for 22-24 the jump was from 44 to 73 percent. 

“It is a big deal to have voting rates above 80 percent – the country doesn’t have that. Research shows that people who vote in college will continue to vote for the rest of their lives,” said Merith Weisman, SSU’s Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives in Professor Aja Laduke’s Blog about Sonoma’s voting turnout.  Getting people to actually utilize their right to vote is far easier when as a government and society we are willing to remove the barriers to cast ballots. 

One major block for many people to get their vote cast and voice heard is having a convenient place to vote or cast a mail-in ballot.   At Sonoma State we have a mail-in ballot box right here on campus for the use of anyone looking to mail-in their ballot, not just students. This accessibility is one of the reasons Sonoma State’s voting numbers are so high. “I am so proud of our students for getting out there and making their voices heard. Voting is an important indicator of civic responsibility. Let’s set an ambitious goal and increase our numbers in the next election.” Said Weisman in Dr. Laduke’s blog.  

If you haven’t registered to vote, do so as soon as possible to let your voice be heard this November for the midterm election. Let’s see if we can top our previous record and be a standout campus for student voting once again.

Bars need to do more to protect customers

STAR // Willow Ornellas

For most college students, turning 21 is a right of passage and this newfound freedom is often celebrated with going out to bars. However, these new environments also introduce risk; risk that’s supposed to be intercepted by security present at establishment doors. Unfortunately, security can’t catch everything. 

Of course, it’s not the fault of the bar when customers get drugged inside their establishments, but bars have a responsibility to do their best to protect beverage consumers. 

Spiked drink incidents can be dangerous and often lead to sexual assault, rape, or worse. A 2014 study from The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) found that more than 11 million women have experienced alcohol or drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) over the course of their lifetime. 

College students being drugged seems to be an increasing trend as well. A 2016 study published in Psychology of Violence released survey data taken from three universities of 6,064 students. The data revealed that 7.8% of the sample size, or 462 students, had been nonconsensually drugged. The survey also revealed that 1.4% of respondents, or 83 students, admitted to 172 different accounts of intentionally drugging another person. 

Some Sonoma State University students have also become victims of being drugged at local bars, as reported in a recent STAR news article. All of the bars students alleged they were drugged at, do have security present at the door, however students’ drinks are still getting spiked. 

The reported victim accounts were all consistent with consuming a date-rape drug with symptoms like gaps in memory, loss of bodily control, and excessive drunkenness after a drink or two.

After reports of multiple druggings were reported by the San Francisco Chronicle last spring, Duke’s bar in Healdsburg took the actions they deemed necessary to protect their customers. 

According to bartenders, Duke’s invested about $40-50k to upgrade their security system. There are cameras with every corner of the establishment in view. Law enforcement has access to all the footage from the cameras at any time and these cameras are enabled with facial recognition technology. On busy nights, there are six security guards on the premises and everyone who enters the building gets their ID checked. At the door, there’s also a security camera that captures footage of all the IDs checked so there’s a record of every person who enters the bar. 

Duke’s bartenders will pour out any unattended drinks to ensure someone doesn’t accidentally sip a spiked drink and most of Duke’s bar staff are female. Also, every employee has completed training courses from The SAFE Bar Network. 

Most area bars have not taken the same precaution as Duke’s so for anyone who wants peace of mind while ‘out’, there are some products available that can help with that. However, the reliability of these products is questionable. 

A popular product on the market is a drug detection card from Drinksafe. The test areas of these cards change color when exposed to date-rape drugs like Ketamine or GHP. The Amazon reviews for this product were revealing. One user reported the cards inconsistently tested positive, even with water. Another claimed the cards arrived with already altered colors. An additional reviewer claimed to test the cards with real Ketamine and the cards still didn’t react to the drug. 

TEST MY DRINK is an Amazon seller marketing nearly the same product as Drinksafe. TEST MY DRINK also sells beverage drug test strips intended to detect Ketamine and GHP. The reviews for this product are better, claiming it works, but one reviewer also had defective strips and strips react to water. 

The highest rated product to test if a drink was drugged, SipChip, is no longer available for purchase. The website doesn’t appear to provide a reason for the lack of stock but still claims the single-use, coin sized drug testing kit was 99.3% effective at detecting the most commonly used date-rape drugs in seconds. 

The NightCap Scrunchie appears to be the most reliable anti-drugging product on the market. Also, this product is actually in stock, unlike SipChip. The NightCap Scrunchie is an operable scrunchie that can double as a drink cover. The cover protects the drink, while allowing the drinker to still sip with a straw. 

At the end of the day, no one deserves waking up with a stack of unfamiliar Ubers on their phone, six to eight hours of lost memory, or in a hospital because they became a victim of a crime worse than a spiked drink. In some cases, being drugged can be a matter of life or death and bars need to be doing as much as they can to protect their customers from this fate.