July 23,2025
RED FM News Desk
A new study has revealed that an experimental type of temporary tattoo can quickly and discreetly detect unwanted drugs in drinks.
Published Wednesday by the American Chemical Society (ACS), the study by Korean researchers introduced a multicoloured tattoo that changes colour when it meets GHB — a substance often linked to drug-facilitated sexual assault.
“These drugs are colourless and tasteless, producing effects similar to extreme alcohol intoxication,” the ACS noted in a press release.
“Drinks spiked with substances like Rohypnol (commonly called roofies) or GHB remain a constant threat — even in social settings among friends or acquaintances.”
The tattoo’s chemical makeup allows it to detect GHB in beverages like beer, liquor, or coffee by turning from yellow to red, signaling possible contamination. In practice, a user could simply dip a finger into the drink, touch the tattoo with the drop, and see the result almost instantly.
While various tools like test strips, coasters, stir sticks, and even nail polish have previously been developed to detect drugs in drinks, this new tattoo offers a more discreet and significantly faster alternative — providing results in under a second.
Additionally, the colour change can remain visible for up to a month, potentially helping preserve evidence of drink tampering. Researchers also highlight that the tattoos are low-cost to produce and could become commercially available in the near future.
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