Drink spiking: how to look out for each other at parties, concerts, and raves
Published · Updated · 4 min read
The short answer
Anyone can have a drink spiked, at a party, a concert, a rave, or a dorm hangout, and it is never the fault of the person it happens to. What helps most is friends who look out for each other: keep your drink with you, watch your friends' drinks too, and get help fast if someone suddenly seems far more affected than they should be.
In this post
Why we're writing this
Halloween weekend is a big social weekend for college and high school students. If you're a parent, this is a good weekend to send the text. If you're a student, share this with the friends you're going out with.
We're Z-Access, and we make things on 3D printers. One of them is Top Block (opens in a new tab), a twist-shut cover that keeps your can covered when you set it down. It's not a guarantee, so the habits below matter more than any cover.
A note from Gina
I have a daughter in college. She goes to parties, concerts, and raves, and she always has a great time with her friends. She has a good head on her shoulders. Still, as a mom, I worry, because none of us can control what other people do.
Many of my friends have college-age kids now too. A lot of them are daughters: athletes, sorority sisters, social kids who love being out with their people. So this is my reminder to all of us parents. Send the text. Remind our kids to keep themselves safe and to keep each other safe, to trust their instincts, to take every precaution they can, and to call us when and if they need us.
Gina Wilt, co-founder, Z-Access 3D Print Hub
Before you go
- Make a plan with your friends: who you're going with, how you're getting home, and when you'll check in.
- Charge your phone, and share your location with a friend you trust.
- Agree on a word or a text that means "come find me" or "let's leave."
- Go together, leave together. If plans change, tell someone.
At the party, concert, or show
- Keep your drink with you. If you set it down or lose sight of it, get a new one.
- Open or pour your own drink when you can, and don't drink anything you didn't see being opened or poured.
- Don't share drinks, and don't accept one from someone you don't know.
- If a drink tastes, smells, or looks off, stop drinking it.
- Watch your friends' drinks too, and check on each other through the night.
- This goes for every kind of drink, water and soda included.
Signs someone may have been spiked
Signs can start within minutes and last for hours. Watch for a friend who:
- Feels sick, faint, dizzy, or light-headed
- Turns suddenly drowsy or confused, or has trouble walking, talking, or focusing
- Seems far more affected than what they've had would explain
- Has blurred vision, memory gaps, or passes out
- Feels paranoid, sees things, or feels detached from their body
What to do if you think someone's been spiked
- Stay with them. Don't let them leave alone or with someone you don't know.
- Tell staff or security if you're at a venue or an event.
- Call 911 if they pass out, have trouble breathing, are hurt, or seem seriously unwell.
- Help them get home with someone they trust, and keep checking on them. Get help right away if they get worse.
- Remind them it isn't their fault. Spiking someone's drink is a crime, and they can report it when they're ready.
Step in with care
Looking out for each other is everyone's job. Guys, that means you too: be the friend who notices, checks in, and steps in. RAINN suggests four ways to do it:
- Create a distraction. Interrupt, suggest a new spot, or start a group activity.
- Ask directly. Check in privately and ask if they want you to stay or help them leave.
- Rally others. Bring in friends, event staff, or security, and call 911 if things feel unsafe.
- Extend support. Stay with them, help them get home, and listen without judgment.
For parents: how to bring it up
- Send the text before the weekend. Keep it short and calm: "Have fun this weekend. Go with friends, keep an eye on each other's drinks, and call me anytime."
- Make it clear they can always call you for a ride or for help, and save the questions for later.
- Talk about looking out for their friends as well as themselves.
- Keep blame out of it. If something happens, the person who did it is responsible.
If something has happened
If you or someone you know was hurt or assaulted, it is not your fault. You can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN) at 800.656.HOPE (4673) (opens in a new tab) or chat online at RAINN.org/hotline (opens in a new tab). In an emergency, call 911.
Sources
- Spiking: signs, what to do, and prevention (opens in a new tab), HSE (Ireland's health service)
- Stop sexual violence: step in with care (opens in a new tab), RAINN
