Monday, September 27, 2010

What to do if you think your drink has been spiked

If you believe that your drink has been spiked, your main objective is to protect yourself from being harmed. You should find someone you trust who can take you to A&E to be treated.
Tell someone you trust
If you begin to feel really drunk after a small amount of alcohol, or you think that your drink has been spiked with drugs, get help from a friend, relative, or a senior member of management in the club, or pub, that you are in.
Get to a place of safety as soon as possible, and only go home with someone who you totally trust. If you are with people that you do not know, contact a trusted friend, or relative, and ask them to pick you up and look after you.
You will need someone to stay with you until you are sure that the drugs have fully left your system, which will probably be the following day. This is in case any of your symptoms start getting worse and you are unable to look after yourself.
Go to A&E
If you are experiencing symptoms such as drowsiness, vomiting, or hallucinations, you should go to the accident and emergency (A&E) department of your nearest hospital immediately.
When you arrive at A&E, inform the medical staff that you think your drink has been spiked. You may be asked to provide a blood or urine sample so that it can be tested for any unusual substances.
Most drugs leave the body 12-72 hours after being taken, so it is important that you are tested as soon as possible if you think that your drink has been spiked. For instance, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) will be undetectable in your blood within 6-8 hours, and will be undetectable in your urine within 12-18 hours.
Spiking someone's drink is a criminal offence, so if tests reveal that your drink was spiked, the police will need to investigate the matter. Drink spiking carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Assault, rape, and robbery
If you have also been the victim of an assault or robbery, you should report this to the police as well. The police will want to know any information you have about the attackers, what was taken, and how the attack happened. If you have been physically assaulted, the police will need to keep a record of your injuries, and you may need medical attention.
If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you should always seek medical attention. You will need to be checked to see whether you have any sexually transmitted infections (STIs), or if you are pregnant. You do not have to report it to the police if you do not wish to. Forensic results can be taken and stored while you decide.
This information was taken from www.cks.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/drink_spiking#

Sometimes it's not possible to get to an A&E. AT THE VERY LEAST, make sure you tell someone you trust what you think may have happened. Make sure that you are with someone safe, and that they are able to take care of you. Get them to take you home; not put you in a taxi/bus/train. If this isn't possible, ask to see the manager of the club. Tell them that you think your drink has been spiked and ask them to call someone (partner, parent, friend, relative) who can come and pick you up and take you either to a hospital or home. If you suspect you have been raped/assaulted or robbed, you need to get to a hospital as quickly as possible. Criminal proceedings can be entered into after you've received medical attention. Your safety is more important.

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