Temporary tattoo can instantly test drinks for unwanted drugs: study

(ACS Sensors 2025)

An experimental kind of temporary tattoo can near-instantly test beverages for the presence of unwanted drugs, a new study has found.

Published Wednesday by the American Chemical Society (ACS), the study from Korean researchers developed a multicoloured temporary tattoo that reacts to the presence of GHB, a compound described as “commonly associated with drug-facilitated sexual assault.”

“These drugs are colorless and tasteless, inducing a stupor in the victim that’s similar to severe alcohol intoxication,” reads a release from the ACS.

“Consuming a drink spiked with drugs including Rohypnol (commonly known as roofies) or GHB when drinking in a social setting is an ever-present danger — even among friends and acquaintances.”

According to the study, the chemicals in the tattoo can detect concentrations of GHB in beer, liquor or coffee, changing colour from yellow to red in order to alert the wearer that their beverage may have been spiked.

“In practice, a wearer could dip a finger into a beverage, touch the drop to the sticker and see the result almost immediately,” the release reads.

In recent years, scientists have developed a variety of products to check beverages for drugs, from chemical test strips to more inconspicuous options like nail polish, coasters and stir sticks.

The newly developed tattoos not only allow the users to test their drinks discreetly, but also act far faster than some older tests, delivering results in less than a second, rather than minutes.

Researchers also say the results last for up to a month, which can help preserve evidence of suspected tampering.

The tattoos are inexpensive to manufacture and “could be commercially available soon,” according to the release.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Andrew Weichel