WITH the Christmas party season under way and celebrations are in full swing – West Midlands Police is urging revellers to keep themselves and their loved ones safe from drinks being spiked.
The force has issued advice on what to do if a person thinks they have been spiked and how to reduce the risk of being spiked.
Spiking is when someone puts alcohol or drugs into someone’s drink without their knowledge or permission. It can also involve injecting somebody with drugs without their consent, although this type of spiking is rare.
Spiking can happen to anyone, anywhere and can be carried out by strangers or people you know. It can also take place anywhere – in someone’s house or on a night out.
It can be hard to tell if a drink has been spiked, but if if the are any changes to the taste or appearance of a drink, stop drinking it.
Tell a trusted friend what’s happened and notify a member of staff immediately.
It’s not always easy to tell if a drink has been spiked, as symptoms will vary depending on what you’ve been spiked with. Some symptoms to look out for though are confusion, hallucinations or paranoia, difficulty communicating and unconsciousness
If you think you or a friend has been spiked, you need to alert a member of staff or security if you’re at a venue, stay with your friend and keep talking to them, don’t let them go home on their own or leave with someone you don’t know, report to the police online, on 101 or, in an emergency, call 999 and if you’re worried about symptoms, call the NHS on 111 for advice or 999 if you need an ambulance.
Letting people know what has happened gives the best chance of looking after you and gathering any evidence where a crime may have taken place.
Everyone should feel safe to enjoy themselves without worrying about being spiked. However, there are steps party goers can take to help reduce the risk of spiking, whilst keeping yourself and others safe.
These include staying with friends and look out for each other, never leave drinks unattended, whether they’re alcoholic or not and if you need to step away, finish your drink first or ask a trusted friend to watch it for you, cover drinks, be cautious if your are bought or given a drink.
There is no time limit on reporting spiking; whether it just happened or it happened a while ago.
For more or to report an incident visit the West Midlands Police’s website.
