‘Switch on to spiking’: St John Ambulance launches campaign to combat drink spiking dangers
Featured image: Aleksandr Popov/Unsplash
St John Ambulance service has issued new guidance on drink spiking and launched a campaign aimed at young people on the increased dangers over the festive season.
Switch on to Spiking aims to educate 15,000 of the younger generation on the signs to look out for and what action to take if someone has had their drink spiked.
The health charity says the period of heightened social gatherings involving alcohol at various Christmas parties often results in a rise in drink spiking incidents.
Their campaign includes deeply personal witness accounts from victims who shared their experiences to raise awareness on what to expect.
Colin Mackie, founder of Spike Aware UK told NQ: “It is a time of year for people to enjoy but many get caught up in the fun and frolics and drop their guard.”
“An unattended drink can have devastating results for the victim.”
In a recent poll of 2,000 UK participants aged 18 to 43, nearly a quarter say they had been spiked and did not recognise the warning signs.
Three quarters did not know how to respond to help assist victims.
The public is urged to familiarise themselves with first aid advice including how spiking happens and how people are affected.
St. John Ambulance have described spiking as nonconsensual drugging through drinks, needle injections or even vapes or cigarettes.
Symptoms to look out for include feeling more ‘out of it’ than expected, mental confusion, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, nausea, seizures, unconsciousness or an unusual intense hangover the next day.
The new guidelines include staying together in groups and drink with pace, and not accepting drinks from strangers.
Suspected cases of spiking are urged to be reported immediately to bar staff and the police.
The guidelines emphasise the importance of keeping the person hydrated, moving them to a safe location and ensuring they are not left alone.
If they become unresponsive, place them in the recovery position, call 999, and be prepared to perform CPR, the ambulance service advises.
Partygoers are encouraged further to protect their drinks by asking bar and venue staff for bottle tops and lid covers.
Stamp Out Spiking have partnered up with StopTopps to promote the use of spiking prevention devices available to the public.
Jane Robinson, a representative from the organisation, told NQ they were “delighted” by the information released from St John Ambulance service.
“More conversations” on spiking awareness are needed with a “no tolerance approach” and the new guidance should be taken “very seriously”, Jane added.
Eve, 19, was spiked on a night out with her twin sister.
“I felt like I had been hit by a bus, every muscle in my body ached. The headache lasted for weeks, like a never-ending hangover”, she said.
Eve and her sister, Lauren said that they were terrified for months to go out again.
She said: “I could have died that night”, adding it “still haunts us”.
Kate*, 21, also shared her story as part of the campaign launch and to reassure other young people that they are not alone.
“Halfway through my drink I realised something wasn’t right. I wasn’t able to move, I couldn’t walk and I’m just falling everywhere. I just couldn’t use my body”, she said.
“My friends luckily knew this was out of character”, Kate added.
The information calls on young people and the wider public to be alert and look out for one another, exercising extra caution to minimise the risk of spiking during this festive period.
*Name has been changed.