What to Do If Your Drink Has Been Spiked
Quick answer: If you think you or a friend has been spiked, tell venue staff or security immediately, stay with someone you trust, and call 999 if symptoms are severe. Report it to the police on 999 or 101 as soon as you can, because many spiking drugs leave the body within 12–72 hours.
Common signs of drink spiking
- Feeling much drunker than you should for what you've drunk
- Confusion, dizziness or loss of balance
- Nausea or vomiting
- Drowsiness, blurred vision or difficulty speaking
- Memory gaps or losing consciousness
What to do right now
- Tell bar staff, door staff or welfare teams. Most UK venues and festivals have trained staff and a safe space.
- Stay with a trusted friend. Don't leave with anyone you don't know.
- If someone is unconscious, struggling to breathe or fitting, call 999 and put them in the recovery position.
- If you can, keep the drink, or test what's left with a SpikeStixx strip.
Reporting spiking in the UK
Call 999 in an emergency or 101 otherwise, or report online to your local police force. Ask for a test as soon as possible. Spiking is a criminal offence in the UK, and reporting helps police identify repeat offenders and problem venues.
Testing before you drink
SpikeStixx are single-use strips that give a colour result within about 5 seconds. See how to test your drink.