'It could happen to anyone' - Weymouth student says friends had drinks spiked 3 times
Annie from Weymouth has cared for friends who've had their drinks spiked on three separate nights out
Last updated 1st Dec 2021
A student from Weymouth who has witnesses three separate spiking incidents is reminding clubbers it could happen to anyone.
We are calling her Annie, as she wants to remain anonymous.
She says she's now become very aware of the early signs someone's been targeted.
Signs of drink spiking
It happened at the beginning of the night in a club, two or three drinks in, when her friend became dizzy, limp and started vomiting.
Annie got her friend outside and sought help from her friend's parents and security guards.
She told Greatest Hits Radio Dorset:
"I could tell that she was spiked in the first 10 minutes after the drink because she started saying she felt quite dizzy, and started losing consciousness.
"You should definitely go out with friends you know who are going to be with you because you don't want to have that happen, be alone, and not have anyone to take care of you.
"She doesn't remember anything that happened and she could have been in a lot worse of a situation."
That's happened twice more while Annie's been out with friends. She knows others who haven't been with friends and have woken up outdoors and alone.
Her friend has recovered but she says it will be a long time before she hits the clubs again.
She said: "I think it's quite a scary thing and it's something that's making me think whether I want to continue going on nights out."
What are the signs?
The symptoms of drink spiking vary based on which substance is used. But, Drink Aware says if you notice someone exhibiting these signs, get help:
Lowered inhibitions
Loss of balance
Feeling sleepy
Visual problems
Confusion
Nausea
Vomiting
Unconsciousness
Annie says she wants more people to be aware of the signs so they can help if they notice someone exhibiting them out at night. Some passers-by helped her during the first incident, which made her feel supported.
"It made everything feel a lot easier, and I felt a little bit more safe. I'm not the biggest or the strongest or the scariest person, I was just trying to take care of my friend.
"Just having a few people come up to you, make sure you're okay, possibly just sit with you, means so much."
Annie added:
"Even if you don't think it's going to happen to you, it might. You've got to be careful on a night out. Girls have to be that little bit more attentive to their drinks.
"People always think, Oh it's not going to happen to me because I'm always really careful, but it might."
"It's really sad because for some of my friends, they don't want to go out because it's that scary.
"I don't really understand why people do it. I get it, you want to be able to have full control over a situation, but that's not something that's okay."