If your drink has been spiked, it is unlikely that you will be able to see, taste or smell the new substance, so it is important to try to prevent it.
Follow the guidelines below to help lower the risk of having your drink spiked, and to help you stay safe when you are out.
- Keep your drink in your hand instead of on a surface.
- Consider sticking to bottled drinks and holding your thumb over the opening between sips.
- Keep an eye on your friends' drinks.
- Never leave your drink unattended.
- Never accept a drink from anyone you don't know or trust.
- Don't share or exchange drinks, or drink leftover drinks.
- When possible, drink from a bottle rather than a glass because it is more difficult to spike a drink in a bottle.
- Stay away from situations that you do not feel comfortable with.
- If you go on a date with someone you don't know, tell a friend or relative where you will be and what time you will be back.
- Don't give away too much information to anyone you have just met, such as your address.
- Don't show off expensive equipment, such as mobile phones or MP3 players, as you may attract unwanted attention.
- Remember that if you have already been drinking you will be more vulnerable, because alcohol dulls your instincts and your awareness of danger.
Stopper devices and testing kits
Some pubs and clubs provide plastic stopper devices, such as lids to put on bottles, which can reduce the risk of your drink being spiked.
Some also provide kits so that you can test your drink to see if it has been spiked. However, these may not test for every kind of drug, and they are not always accurate. Tests that rely on changing the colour of your drink to indicate a positive result will not work if your drink is already dark (for example, cola or red wine) or if there is dim lighting in the club or bar.
If you think that your drink has been tampered with, don't drink it. Tell the management of the club or pub immediately.
