Drink spiking means putting alcohol or drugs into someone’s drink without their knowledge. It can happen in bars, clubs, at parties or in private homes – and the person may be a stranger or someone you know. Most often, extra alcohol is added. Sedating drugs such as GHB or benzodiazepines are also used. If it happens to you, it is never your fault.
Signs your drink may have been spiked
You usually cannot see, smell or taste it – the substances are often colourless and odourless. Watch for how you or a friend feel instead:
- feeling much drunker than expected for what you have had
- sudden dizziness, drowsiness or feeling “out of it”
- confusion, slurred speech or trouble controlling your body
- nausea or vomiting
- gaps in memory
- a very bad hangover after little or no alcohol
What to do straight away
- Tell someone you trust – a friend, bar staff or the host.
- Get to a safe place with that person. Do not leave with someone you do not know.
- Call 112 if the person gets worse, passes out, has trouble breathing or has a seizure. Do not leave them alone.
- Ask for a urine and blood test as soon as possible – at the emergency department or through the police. Many spiking drugs leave the body quickly: GHB may no longer be detectable after only 8–12 hours, so seek help and ask for samples straight away. Ideally, the first urine you pass is tested.
- Report it to the police, and contact a sexual assault support service if you think something happened while you were affected. You can get support even if you cannot remember everything.
How to lower the risk
- Go out with friends you trust and plan to look out for each other.
- Buy your own drinks and watch them being poured.
- Do not accept drinks from strangers – or go to the bar with them and take the drink yourself.
- Keep your drink with you, or ask a friend to watch it.
- Bottles with screw-top lids are easier to keep closed.
- If your drink tastes or looks different, or you are unsure, do not drink it. Tell the staff.
Checking a drink with test strips
Test Check Drink strips check a drink for three substances linked to spiking: GHB, ketamine and flunitrazepam (Rohypnol). You put a small drop of the drink on the strip and read the result within minutes, following the instructions. The strips are small enough to carry in a wallet or pocket.
Test Check Drink – Drink Spiking Test Strips – €7.55 →
Important: a negative strip does not guarantee that a drink is safe. The strips do not detect added alcohol – the most common way drinks are spiked – or other drugs, and very small amounts may not be detected. If you feel unwell, trust how you feel, not the strip, and get help.
Get help if
- someone is unconscious, breathing badly, vomiting while drowsy or having a seizure – call 112
- you feel strangely drunk, confused or have memory gaps after a night out – go to an emergency department and ask for testing
- you think you were assaulted – contact the police or a sexual assault support service as soon as you can
Common questions
Can I taste or smell if my drink is spiked?
Usually not. The substances used are often colourless and odourless, and the effects can feel like being very drunk.
How long can spiking drugs be found in the body?
Not long, and it varies. GHB may no longer be detectable after only 8–12 hours. Other substances can stay detectable from a few hours to a few days, depending on the substance, dose and sample. That is why testing should be done as early as possible.
Is it my fault if my drink was spiked?
No. Spiking is a crime, and the responsibility lies only with the person who did it – whatever you were drinking.
Rapid tests are intended for preliminary screening and do not replace a doctor’s consultation.
Sources: Better Health Channel (Victoria Department of Health), FRANK – GHB, Wikipedia