UNC Officials: GBL Find Not Sign of Trend

Justin Ryncavage, 18, of 239 Craige North Residence Hall, was charged with one count of possession of the chemical gamma-butyrolactone. GBL is used to manufacture the "date rape" drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate.

The drugs, allegedly mailed to Ryncavage in a package, were intercepted by the U.S. Postal Service as part of a nationwide drug sweep. The package contained 780 milliliters of GBL, roughly the amount of two 12-ounce soda cans.

GHB is often put in alcoholic drinks to cause a person to become unconscious or to make a person unable to resist sexual advances.

Officials at the Orange County clerk's office said Ryncavage will be represented by his own lawyer at his rescheduled Oct. 24 hearing at Orange County District Court in Hillsborough.

Under the N.C. General Statutes, "possession of an immediate precursor chemical with intent to manufacture a controlled substance" can be punished as a Class H felony.

The penalties for a Class H felony depend on many factors, including the person's prior criminal record. With a clean criminal record, the minimum punishments can range from probation to eight months imprisonment.

Student Attorney General Amanda Spillman said federal law prevented her from commenting on whether Ryncavage, a freshman, would be charged with an Honor Court violation.

This is the first reported case of GHB -- the drug that GBL is used to make -- on campus in almost 10 years, said University Police Chief Derek Poarch. "I don't have any indication that this is anything other than (an isolated incident).

"There is nothing in this matter that leads us to believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg."

Although it is unclear why the suspect possessed the chemical GBL, Scott Butler, coordinator of the human sexuality program for the Center for Healthy Student Behaviors, said he didn't think the arrest is indicative of widespread GHB use on campus. "In general, the use of 'date rape' drugs is very low on campus," he said.

But he said the use of "date rape" drugs is probably something that happens a lot more frequently than it is reported. "It is definitely a big concern for us, regardless of how many cases we have," he said. "We are interested in the prevention."

Butler recommended that people monitor their own drinks and be careful of drinking from open containers.

People also should go out in groups and designate one person to not drink. That person can be aware of changes in friends' behavior, he said.

Butler said that if people believe they have been drugged, they should seek medical help immediately. Student Health Service offers a free urine test within 72 hours of a suspected drugging to confirm whether drugs have been in a person's system.

Butler said students also should be awarethat "date rape" drugs can be used in any beverage, not only alcoholic drinks.

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.