The expression “slipping someone a mickey” dates back to turn-of-the-century Chicago bartender Mickey Finn who would drug unsuspecting patrons – before dragging them into a back room to empty the contents of their pockets.
This “spiking” of drinks continues today and is a practice used by sexual predators who lace alcoholic drinks. In this CLE, Dr. Allison Muller educates attorneys on substances that are frequently associated with drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) cases. Dr. Muller provides an overview of such substances, exploring their mechanisms of action, physiological effects, interactions with alcohol and the difficulties they pose in toxicology analysis. She also discusses the challenges of these cases and the role of the toxicology expert witness. Learning Objectives: (1) Describe the general properties of drugs used to facilitate sexual assault (2) Identify the role of alcohol in drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) cases (3) List the challenges in toxicology testing in DFSA cases (4) Explain the three principles of drug testing (5) List three drugs involved in DFSA cases.
Dr. Muller is a board-certified toxicologist, fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, and registered pharmacist with over 20 years’ experience in the field of clinical toxicology.