Police warn about the dangers of drink spiking
The offence carries a 10-year jail sentence
Police in Surrey want us to be more aware of the dangers of drink spiking - saying it's a serious crime and carries a 10-year jail term.
Some venues give out special drink stoppers to stop anyone from being able to drop something in your drink, while others offer testing kits that can identify if a drink's been spiked with certain drugs.
Officers say you should never accept a drink for someone you don't know, and they say you should never leave a drink unattended.
Spiking someone’s drink is a serious crime:
Spiking a drink - whether with an extra shot of alcohol or another substance – is a serious crime. Anyone that does it could face serious criminal charges, and it can have very dangerous consequences for the health of the person whose drink is spiked.
Spiking a drink with the intention of making someone more vulnerable to assault, rape or robbery is an even more serious offence. Having sex with someone without their consent is always a crime – no matter what the circumstances are. Assault, rape and robbery all carry additional sentences.
What is drink spiking?
A person’s drink can be spiked to make them more vulnerable for a variety of motives, including theft or sexual assault.
Different types of spiking can include the following substances being added to drinks:
• Alcohol
• ‘Date rape’ drugs
• Illegal drugs
• Prescription drugs (e.g. stimulants, tranquilisers, sedatives, opiates)
Drink spiking can happen to any type of drink, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic. The effects can be unpredictable but are likely to be more serious if someone who’s had their drink spiked has also consumed more alcohol, or other drugs. This is because of the combination of effects from the different drugs working at the same time.
Shots of alcohol can be added to drinks to make them stronger, causing someone to get drunk much quicker than expected. Or sometimes a drink can be spiked with drugs that are specifically designed to incapacitate someone.
Because there are no official statistics it’s difficult to know the true extent of the crime. Often people don’t report drink spiking, because they don’t remember details of the night, or they feel embarrassed.
It can be a scary experience and it’s important to be able to recognise the signs your drink has been spiked or how to help someone you suspect has been a victim.
Symptoms of drink spiking:
The effects of drink spiking vary depending on what you’ve been spiked with. Your symptoms could include:
• Lowered inhibitions
• Loss of balance
• Feeling sleepy
• Visual problems
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Unconsciousness
The symptoms will depend on lots of factors such as the substance or mix of substances used (including the dose), your size and weight, and how much alcohol you have already consumed.
If you or a friend start to feel strange or more drunk than you should be, then get help straight away.
How to avoid drink spiking:
Ensuring all venues are safe from assault and harassment such as drink spiking is a collective responsibility. All venues that are licensed to sell alcohol have a legal duty for public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder on their premises, and this is monitored by their local authority. These licenses to sell alcohol usually include conditions to ensure venues have appropriate security and staff training in place.
Reporting suspected drink spiking to a venue and the police is one way to ensure enough steps are being taken to keep people safe.
Protect Yourself:
Drink spiking can happen in any situation, at home or on a night out. However, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself:
• Never leave your drink unattended, whether it’s alcoholic or not
• Don’t accept a drink from someone you don’t know
• Avoid drinking too much by sticking to the UK low risk drinking guidelines
• Stick together with friends, and look out for each other
How to help a friend who you think has been spiked:
If you think a friend has had their drink spiked, and they are showing any of the symptoms described above there are a few things you can do to help:
• Tell a bar manager, bouncer or member of staff
• Stay with them and keep talking to them
• Call an ambulance if their condition deteriorates
• Don’t let them go home on their own
• Don’t let them leave with someone you don’t know or trust
• Don’t let them drink more alcohol - this could lead to more serious problems
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