When out partying, mind your drink

Dear Doc,

Which drugs are used to spike drinks and how dangerous are they?

Johnson

Dear Johnson,

There are various drugs used for spiking. They are commonly referred to as date rape drugs, even though they are not always used for that purpose.

The most common drug used for spiking drinks is alcohol. Alcohol, especially wines and spirits, are used to spike non-alcoholic drinks. This is particularly common in colleges and home parties.

The victim might be a person who does not drink or is abstaining from alcohol for some reason. Since beer has low alcohol content, people tend to spike it using spirits in order to make the drink more potent.

Then there are drugs such as GBH (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) and GBL (gamma-butyrolactone), ketamine, and tranquilizers (drug used to reduce fear, anxiety, and have a calming effect) such as rohypnol and valium. Rohypnol is commonly used in Kenya since it is a prescription drug and is available in chemists. It is common knowledge that rogue pharmacists sell the drug to prostitutes, who use it to spike their victims’ drinks before robbing them.

Spiking is very dangerous since the victim does not know what they have taken, and the person administering it does not consider the victim’s health status. It is particularly dangerous when used in alcohol as the drugs combine with the alcohol to produce a very powerful anesthetic effect. In serious cases, it can lead to a coma or death. These drugs come in form of tablets, powder or liquid, and do not have an unusual taste, smell or colour when added to drinks or food.

It is important to note that, apart from alcohol and date rape drugs, other hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin and other drugs are also used for spiking.

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Dear Doc,

How can a person tell that their drink has been spiked?

Wambere

Dear Wambere,

Date rape drugs act within a very short time. However, the time depends on the drug used, the kind of a drink that has been spiked, as well as the victim’s health status, among other factors. One can feel the effect of these drugs within 15-30 minutes.

The symptoms persist for several hours, although when the dose is high or when used in alcohol, one can pass out and be unable to remember the events that follow thereafter. Even though symptoms depend on the drug used, generally, they include difficulty speaking or concentrating, lowered inhibition, blurred vision or visual problems, loss of memory, usually referred to as a blackout, paranoia, which is a feeling of distrust or fear of others, confusion, disorientation after waking up, hallucination (hearing or seeing things that are not there), nausea and vomiting, being unconscious or in a coma.

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Dear Doc,

How can I prevent my drink from being spiked?

Felix

Dear Felix,

Usually, we tend to enjoy our time drinking with friends without paying much attention to how safe our drinks are. It is important to keep a close eye on your drink or have someone you trust do so to avoid being a victim of drink spiking.

Then, never accept a drink from a stranger or share a drink from the same glass with someone. Friends can also spike your drink in order to make you high at a party.

Another safety measure to take is to take your drink straight from the bottle rather than from a glass to minimise the chances of having your drink spiked. After each sip, you can cover your beer bottle with your thumb.

Carrying expensive things to the bar, including jewellery, phones, a tablet, laptop and even lots of cash can make you a target for spiking. So unless it is absolutely necessary, avoid carrying such items to minimise your chances of being a target

Should you be alone at a restaurant or out with people you don’t really trust, do not take a drink that has been half taken. If for any reason you leave the table and leave a drink that has been opened, order a new one when you come back.

Always notify someone close when going out, where you are drinking, with whom, and when you should be expected back home. This will help them track you if anything unusual occurs.

Avoid disclosing personal details such as your occupation, address or any information that might make you a target for spiking to a stranger. If for any reason you suspect that your drink has been spiked, don’t take it. But if you realise that your drink or food has been spiken after taking some, nform someone immediately so that they can take care of you if you pass out.