Drink spiking

If you think you, or someone you know, has fallen victim of drink spiking please report it.

In the event of an emergency call 999.

For a non-emergency visit the Cambridgeshire Police website to submit an online report, or call 101.

Signs of drink spiking

If someone is displaying the symptoms below and you are concerned about them, make sure you stay with them, get them any medical attention they need and ensure they get home safely.

There are a range of things to look out for, which include:

confusion
nausea or vomiting
hallucinations
disorientation
loss of ability to communicate properly
paranoia
poor coordination

Depending on whether a drug was used, the signs that someone has been spiked can appear in as little as 15 minutes and last for several hours.

Some symptoms are similar to the effects of alcohol and that makes it difficult to know if someone has had their drink spiked, however, the main difference is how severe the symptoms are.

While alcohol can severely affect someone, it often takes numerous drinks before that occurs. Drugs, on the other hand, can start affecting someone within a few minutes.

Tips for avoiding drink spiking

Never leave your drink unattended

Take your drink with you wherever you go and, if the club does not allow drinks on the dance floor, take time to finish your drink beforehand, rather than leaving it on a table.

Watch if someone buys you a drink

If someone offers to buy you a drink, make sure you go to the bar with them and watch your drink the whole time. Do not let them go to the bar on their own, as this gives someone the opportunity to interfere with your drink. Keep an eye out for people trying to distract you from your drink.

Drink from bottles

Wherever possible, have drinks from bottles - the necks make it more difficult to drop something into the bottle and you can also get alcotops or spikeys to fit bottles and protect your drink.

Let someone know where you are going

Make sure someone knows where you are going and what time they can expect you back - plan your route home in advance.

If unsure, do not drink

If you are unsure about your drink, do not drink it and tell a friend or member of staff. Do not leave it on the side - either take it back to the bar or pour it away yourself.

Friends

Keep an eye on your friends and ensure you all get home safely.

What to do if you think you have been spiked

Tell the people you are with and make sure you are somewhere you feel safe.

Alert a member of staff at the pub or club you are at. They will be trained to recognise when someone is vulnerable and provide appropriate support.

If you feel unwell, you should seek medical attention immediately and tell medical staff that you believe your drink has been spiked.

Report it to the police as soon as possible.

Drugs can leave the body in as little as 12 hours after consumption, so it is important you get tested quickly.

We know that memory can be affected by some of the drugs used to spike drinks. The police will need as much information as possible and that might involve asking you to try and remember some of the following details:

do you know who spiked your drink?
if you do not know who spiked your drink, do you remember what they looked like, or any other details about them?
what happened throughout the evening, and after your drink was spiked?
was anything taken from you?
were you physically attacked?