Drink Spiking

What are the signs?

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.

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

A number of the 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.

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.