What is drink spiking and the signs? As crackdown vow comes earlier than Christmas ‘peak’

Going out for a night on the town is something enjoyed by Brits all-over – though there is an insidious shadow that lurks in bars promising to wreck havoc on those letting their hair down.

Drink spiking is nothing new, yet it is on the rise in the UK. Last year alone 7,000 incidents of drink spiking were reported in England and Wales, but it is thought that the real figure is worryingly much higher than this.

And the festive season is thought to be the ‘peak’ time for the crime as punters go out to celebrate Christmas, attempt to enjoy the company of their colleagues and see out the past year into the new one.

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Although drink spiking is already a crime, it continues to increasingly plague the nightlife of both men and women – though more women are more likely to report it.

In a bid to ‘crackdown’ on the crime once and for all, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and co are planning to make drink spiking its own criminal offence to hopefully put more party predators behind bars – and will be allocating £250,000 to help train bar staff in the pursuit of this.

Here, we take a look at what drink spiking is, what the symptoms are and how the government are planning to crackdown as we reach the ‘peak time’ for the serious crime…

What is drink spiking?

Drink spiking is where someone intentionally and covertly puts a substance into another’s beverage to make them more vulnerable for a number of reasons – including humiliation, robbery and sexual assault.

Most people think that drink spiking involves secretly putting a pill in the victim’s alcoholic drink but that is not always the case. It also counts as drink spiking if you pour booze into someone’s drink – non-alcoholic or alcoholic – without them knowing or giving consent to do so.

And the scary thing is that it can have an unprecedented effect on the person who has been spiked, as the body can react in a number of different ways dependent on what they have already put in their body and the unknown substance they have mixed it with.

According to charity Drink Aware, the different types of substances used in drink spiking include:

• Alcohol

• ‘Date rape’ drugs – usually Rohypnol or GHB.

• Illegal drugs

• Prescription drugs (such as stimulants, tranquilisers, sedatives and opiates)

On their website, they share: “Anyone that does it [drink spiking] could face serious criminal charges, and it can have very dangerous consequences for the health of the person whose drink is spiked.

“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.”

What are the symptoms?

Drink spiking is no joke, and neither are the symptoms of it. As mentioned before, the bodily reaction is unprecedented and so can cause a whole list of short or long term effects – or even death in some cases.

That can mean that drink spiking is difficult to treat at first as the victim and those around them will most likely not know what was put into the drink to cause such a reaction. And this can be difficult for medical professionals to administer the right treatment at first as the list of culprit substances can be endless.

But what are the ‘red flags’ to look out for if you or someone else has been spiked? Well, we had a chat with Dr Lawrence Cunningham, of Help&Advice, as he shared the symptoms we should all be aware of when on a night out.

Dr Lawrence told us: “In my experience, the symptoms of drink spiking can vary depending on the substance used.

“Common signs include sudden dizziness, confusion, and a sense of disorientation, which can feel like an intense version of alcohol intoxication.

“I’ve often heard from individuals who’ve experienced this that they also feel nauseous or experience vomiting. Unexplained drowsiness or even unconsciousness can occur, which is incredibly alarming.

“If someone suddenly behaves out of character, it could be a red flag.”

Drink spiking can lead to both short and long term effects – physical and mental. While the list of symptoms are long, the after-math can be just as scary as the initial incident.

Some people can be diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD from getting their drink spiked – proving just what an awful and consuming crime it is.

“Short-term effects can be quite distressing,” Dr Lawrence admitted. “Many people report memory loss, which often leads to anxiety about what happened during the time they were incapacitated.

“In the long term, victims may suffer from ongoing anxiety, trust issues, or even PTSD. I’ve seen cases where individuals avoid social situations altogether for fear of it happening again.”

If the above didn’t sound worrisome enough, then Dr Lawrence warned that drink spiking can potentially cause death and has witnessed cases where ‘timely medical intervention’ was vital to stopping the victims dying from the crime.

The medical professional said: “Yes, drink spiking can be deadly, and this is something that cannot be overstated.

“The danger lies in the body’s unpredictable reaction to unknown substances, especially when mixed with alcohol. It can lead to respiratory depression, heart failure, or severe allergic reactions.

“I’ve seen cases where timely medical intervention was crucial in preventing fatal outcomes. It’s a serious crime with potentially life-threatening consequences.”

How are the government planning to crackdown?

So, you’re probably thinking isn’t drink spiking treated seriously if it’s a serious crime? Well, already drink spiking comes under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, which covers the use of harmful substances.

The crime also comes under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which covers drink spiking cases where the perpetrator targets the victim with the intention to sexually assault them.

Currently, the maximum prison sentence handed to those found guilty of drinking spiking is 10 years. But why are the government wanting to crackdown on the crime even further?

In a report from the BBC in 2023, they discovered that although there were nearly 5,000 reports of spiking-related incidents to the police in 2021/22 – there were only 40 convictions in the space of four years.

And as drink spiking continues to rise and victims are left in the lurch, the government hopes to crackdown on the criminals to make sure more are put behind bars.

In light of the increase of violence against women and girls (VAWG), Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, have spoken out about their vow to get tougher on spiking.

Sir Starmer said: “We know it can be incredibly difficult for victims to come forward to report this awful crime, and these cases can be very hard to prosecute.

“I made a promise that, if elected, I’d make spiking a new criminal offence. Today, I am proud to have come good on that pledge.

“Today, I will bring together police chiefs, heads of industry and transport bosses to demand coordinated action to stop women being targeted, whether they are out with friends or simply travelling home.

“Cracking down on spiking is central to that mission. We must do more to bring the vile perpetrators who carry out this cowardly act, usually against young women and often to commit a sexual offence, to justice.”

While it’s not clear when the government will bring in the legislation, Phillips noted that the festive season is a particularly concerning time where spiking appears to be more rife.

Plans include to train workers of the night-time economy so they will be able to prevent incidents of spiking, help support victims and assist the police in getting the evidence to nail the perpetrators. The government hopes that this will better assist the police in getting justice for victims.

It looks like the government are pulling their fingers out in time for festive season as 10,000 bar staff will be getting training before the new year and roll into the Spring.

Phillips told The Sun: “As Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, one of the threats I’m most concerned about is spiking.

“It is a diabolical act, and while the risk may be heightened in the festive season, it’s a threat all year round. Let there be no doubt — it is a crime whether it is in a bar, club or friend’s house.

“The effects can last a lifetime. For too long, spiking has not been treated with the seriousness it merits.

“It is time to change that.”

The new law is set to cover England and Wales.

If you believe you have been a victim of drink spiking you should alert the police. If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story in regards to sexual assault and drink spiking, you can contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 08 08 16 89 111 or visit their website, Victim Support