Drink Spiking - A Growing Problem

What is drink spiking?

Drink spiking is the act of sneaking drugs/alcohol into someone's drink. A person’s drink can be spiked for a number of reasons, including sexual assault, theft, and even using the victim's face ID to enter their phone for sensitive information.

Every year, thousands of people worldwide are thought to be victims of drink spiking, where drugs or alcohol are added to someone’s drink without them knowing.

Many more incidents happen on holiday or go unreported due to embarrassment or memory loss.

TYPES OF DATE RAPE DRUGS

Ketamine and Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) are the most commonly known date rape drugs.

GHB acts as a muscle relaxant and causes short-term amnesia when taken with alcohol. It produces a feeling of euphoria, reduce inhibitions and drowsiness. The effects start after about 10 minutes to an hour and can last for up to seven hours or so. GHB has been linked to drug assisted sexual assaults.

KETAMINE can cause a loss of feeling in the body and paralysis of the muscles. It can also lead to the victim experiencing a distortion of reality/hallucinating.

Signs you were spiked:

  • Lowered inhibitions
  • Difficulty concentrating or speaking
  • Blurred vision
  • Hallucinating
  • Loss of balance or paralysis
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Paranoia (feeling of fear or distrust of others)
  • Feeling confused or disoriented
  • Memory loss or "blackouts"

How should you avoid drink spiking?

If your drink has been spiked it’s unlikely that you will see, smell or taste any difference. Some drugs, such as GHB, may taste slightly salty or smell unusual. If you start to feel strange or more drunk than you should be, get help immediately.

Try to avoid drinking too much alcohol, especially in unfamiliar situations. You could lose control, make risky decisions and become less aware of danger.

  • TEST YOUR DRINK

    Whatever you do, do not ignore your situation because you feel embarrassed. If you are still able, test your drink with a Spikey which can analyze your drinks and give a clear indication if it has been spiked with a date rape drug.

    If you can, try and keep your drink with you. This could be used as evidence by the police.

  • GET HELP

    Tell someone you completely trust, such as a trusted friend, bar staff, security staff, a medical professional or the police. If you’re not with anyone, call someone you trust and get to a safe place.

  • REPORT

    Report it to the police as soon as you can. They will need to take blood and urine samples. Most drugs leave the body within 72 hours of being taken (the date rape drug GHB leaves the body within 12 hours), so it’s important to be tested as soon as possible.
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