What are the symptoms of drink spiking – and how can you prevent it?

Being spiked can be a scary experience. But knowing the signs and how to prevent it can help you stay safe on nights out.

Drink spiking is when someone puts something – mainly alcohol or drugs – into someone else’s drink without them knowing, usually with the intention of making them vulnerable.

It’s important to know what to do if you or someone you’re out with is spiked – and the precautions you can take to protect yourself from being spiked.

We’re answering all your questions about drink spiking, so you can stay safe.

What are spiking symptoms?

Being spiked can be scary, but knowing the symptoms helps you be prepared if you find yourself in the position where someone has spiked your drink.

Symptoms depend on factors such as the substance or mix of substances used, your size and weight, and how much alcohol you have already consumed.

If you start to feel drunker than you ‘should be’, you should get yourself somewhere safe and seek help.

Are there ways to prevent spiking?

While the onus shouldn’t be on victims to prevent spiking, there are certain things you can do to keep yourself safe and limit your chances of being spiked.

Anti-spiking drink covers can be purchased online. They make it harder for people to put things in your drink. You can buy reusable ones from £2.99 on Amazon.

Little things like never leaving your drink unattended and not accepting drinks from strangers can also help keep you safe.

You can also buy drink spiking kits online. They work by putting a drop of your drink on a strip, which turns a different colour depending on if a substance is present or not.

Kits vary, but you can buy 10 strips for £10 from checkyourdrink.co.uk.

Reporting any instances of spiking to the venue also puts the onus on them to make plans to keep customers safe and helps them learn how they can help.

And if you feel able to, you can report being spiked to the police. This improves the chances of the perpetrator being found and preventing them spiking someone else.

Drink spiking can lead to fatal consequences

Many drinks are spiked with date rape drugs. They are used to commit physical and sexual assaults as they can sedate or incapacitate a victim, making them more vulnerable to attack.

The use of date rape drugs can have deadly outcomes, with many unaware of what happens to someone’s body if their drink has been spiked.

GHB

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate, known as GHB, is amongst the most used substances for spiking.

The illegal substance’s effects depends on the dosage, it has the potential to cause seizures or even kill someone.

This particular drug us odourless and colourless, meaning the victim is unlikely to realise they’ve been spiked.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are a class of anti-anxiety drugs, including Rohypnol, a short-term treatment for sleep disorders.

Spiking a drink – whether with an extra shot of alcohol or another substance – is a serious crime.

Anyone that does it could face criminal charges, and it can have very dangerous consequences for the health of the person whose drink is spiked. https://t.co/ebpaGIF0Ls pic.twitter.com/Il45ViMHYh

— @drinkaware (@Drinkaware) November 12, 2021

These can be extremely dangerous to mix with alcohol or any other substances, with the combination leading to very low blood pressure, respiratory depression, breathing difficulties, a coma or even death.

Ketamine

Ketamine, an anaesthetic for animals and humans, is another potentially fatal candidate.

Unlike most date rape drugs, Ketamine kicks in instantly, meaning the victim won’t have time to acknowledge they’ve been spiked.

At high doses, this drug can cause life-threatening breathing problems.

Most nights out will be fun and uneventful. But knowing the signs of spiking is one of the best ways to keep yourself and others safe.