What is spiking?
Spiking is the act of giving someone alcohol or drugs without them knowing or agreeing. For example, in their drink or with a needle. Spiking impedes your body’s ability to function and can potentially cause harm or leave you vulnerable. Spiking can put you at greater risk of injury, theft of assault. Not all case of spiking results in sexual assault or theft, but can cause serve distress, emotional harm, or anxiety.
Types of Spiking
- Drink Spiking - adding drugs or alcohol to someone else's drink.
- Needle Spiking - injecting drugs into someone else's body with a needle or auto-injector pen
- Vape or cigarette Spiking - giving someone drugs in a cigarette or e-cigarette.
- Food Spiking - adding drugs to someone's food.
Signs you’ve been spiked
- Confusion and disorientation
- Nausea and vomiting
- Hallucinations and paranoia
- Poor co-ordination and vision
- An inability to communicate clearly.
- Memory loss and blackouts
- Feeling sick or throwing up
- Loss of balance
- Unconscious
- Problems with vision
- Feeling sick
Depending on what the person has spiked you with, symptoms can start within 15 minutes and can last for several hours.
What should I do I think I’ve been Spiked?
If you think you or someone, you’re with has been spiked, the best thing to do is tell the people you’re with and seek medical help straight away. Call an ambulance if you are worried about their health or get to the nearest hospital and explain what has happened. The quicker you go to hospital, the more likely it is that the substance will be identified. Some drugs leave the body within 12 hours or much sooner.
If a friend has been spiked, then it’s important to make sure they get home safe. Stay with them so if anything happens or their condition deteriorates you can call for help straight away.
Reporting it to the Police
If you’ve been spiked and you would like to report it to the police. You can report it online, via the non-emergency telephone phone or in a person at a police station.
References
https://life-stuff.org/
https://stampoutspiking.org/
https://www.spikeawareuk.org/
https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/spiking-advice/spiking/