CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNING: This page will talk about the most common drugs and common risks, drink and needle spiking, what to do if you/someone else have been spiked, knowing your drink limit and what to do when you pass your limit. Some of these sections may include information on date rape drugs and sexual assault when under the influence. If you or anyone is struggling with any of the subjects mentioned - please reach out to the support pages we’ve provided and our Safeguarding team who’s details can be round at the bottom of this page.

TRIGGER WARNING: external links may use images that contain blades or needles

In an emergency? If you're with someone who needs medical help, call an ambulance and tell the crew everything you know about the drugs taken, it could save their life. If you have any drugs left, hand them over to the crew as it may help. In most circumstances they won't tell the police.

Feeling pressured to take drugs? Click the button below for 10 ways to deal with peer pressure.

If they are anxious, tense or panicky you should:

• sit them in a quiet and calm room

• keep them away from crowds, bright lights and loud noises

• tell them to take slow deep breaths

• stay with them

If they are really drowsy you should:

• sit them in a quiet place and keep them awake

• if they don’t respond or become unconscious call an ambulance immediately and place them in the recovery position

• don’t scare them, shout at them or shock them

• don’t give them coffee to wake them up

• don’t put them in a cold bath to “wake them up” – this wastes time and there’s a risk of drowning

If they are unconscious or having difficulty breathing you should:

• Immediately phone for an ambulance

• Place them into the recovery position

• Stay with them until the ambulance arrives

• If you know what drug they’ve taken tell the ambulance crew immediately, it might them get the right treatment faster

By placing someone in the recovery position, you’re making sure that they are still breathing and can breathe easily, as it’s not unusual for someone who has become unconscious to swallow their tongue. You’re also making sure that if they vomit, it won’t block their airway and choke them.

What does spiking mean?

To spike a drink means to put alcohol or drugs into someone's drink without their knowledge or permission. The aim may be to incapacitate someone enough to rob or sexually assault them, although sometimes it is just intended as a joke – a bad joke as it is very dangerous.

Spiking is a criminal offence and venues should take steps to ensure they are safe places to be, but you still need to protect yourself, particularly if you feel unsafe.

The law

The Sexual Offences Act 2003 states that it is an offence to administer a substance, to a person with intent to overpower that person to enable sexual activity with them. It is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment. This means that slipping alcohol or drugs into someone’s drink is against the law, even if the drink is not consumed or the person is not harmed. The same would be true of needle spiking which would also be a physical assault.

Tips to stay safe

• Plan your night out, including your journey there and back.

• Make sure the venue you are going to is licensed – venues are required to take steps to ensure the safety of their customers

• When going to a pub, club or party avoid going alone. Friends can look out for one another.

• Stay aware of what’s going on around you and keep away from situations you don’t feel comfortable with.

• Think very carefully about whether you should leave a pub, club or party with someone you’ve just met.

• Make sure your mobile phone has plenty of charge in it before you leave home and keep your mobile safe

How to avoid drink spiking

• Always buy your own drink and watch it being poured.     

• Don't accept drinks from strangers.

• Never leave your drink unattended while you dance or go to the toilet.

• Don't drink or taste anyone else's drink

How to tell if your drink has been spiked

• Foggy Appearance

• Excessive Bubbles

• Sinking Ice

• Change In Colour

• Taste

Although these are a few possible signs, we must note that it is often difficult to tell whether your drink has been spiked so NEVER leave your drink unattended and NEVER accept a drink from a stranger.

What if you think you have been spiked (by drink or needle)?

• If you start to feel strange, sick or drunk when you know that you couldn’t be drunk, seek help from a trusted friend or the venue management.

• If you think you have been spiked, get a close friend to get you out of the place as soon as possible and take you home or to hospital (if seriously unwell). Or ring a friend, relative or partner and ask them to come and pick you up.

• If you feel unsafe, vulnerable or threatened you can ask for help by approaching venue staff and asking them for ‘Angela’. This code-phrase indicates to staff that you need help and a trained member of staff will then support and assist you.

• Make sure you can trust the person you ask for help. Don’t go anywhere with a stranger or acquaintance.

• Once you are safely home ask someone to stay with you until the effects of the drug have worn off, which could be several hours.

• Don’t hesitate to call for medical help if you need it. And do tell the police what happened.

SOURCE TALK TO FRANK

More information on drink spiking can be found via Drinkaware.

TRIGGER WARNING: This link contains information on date rape drugs

 Alcoholic drinks and units

Do you know what an alcohol unit is or how many units are in beer or wine? Improve your alcohol awareness and learn how many alcohol units per week you should have and what’s in your drink.

What is an alcohol unit?

One unit is 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol. Because alcoholic drinks come in different strengths and sizes, units are a way to tell how strong your drink is.

It takes an average adult around an hour to process one unit of alcohol so that there's none left in their bloodstream, although this varies from person to person.

Alcohol by volume

Alcohol content is also expressed as a percentage of the whole drink. Look on a bottle of wine or a can of lager and you'll see either a percentage, followed by the abbreviation ‘ABV’ (alcohol by volume), or sometimes just the word ‘vol’. Wine that says ‘13 ABV’ on its label contains 13% pure alcohol.

Spirit measures and wine glass sizes

Spirits used to be commonly served in 25ml measures, which are one unit of alcohol, many pubs and bars now serve 35ml or 50ml measures.

Large wine glasses hold 250ml, which is one third of a bottle. It means there can be nearly three units or more in just one glass. So if you have just two or three drinks, you could easily consume a whole bottle of wine – and almost three times the UK Chief Medical Officers' low risk drinking guidelines – without even realising. Smaller glasses are usually 175ml and some pubs serve 125ml.

SOURCE: Drinkaware

More information on alcoholic drinks and units can be found via Drinkaware

Use the unit calculator to find out how many units are in a particular drink, or to check how much you're drinking.