What to Do If a Friend Has Been Spiked
🧪 What to Do If a Friend Has Been Spiked
Information provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice and you should always seek appropriate professional help or seek immediate medical attention for serious conditions. See full disclaimer here.
Nobody ever expects it to happen — but incidents involving people having their drink spiked or being injected without their knowledge are sadly on the rise. Whether the motive is a prank or something more sinister, the steps you take can help keep your friend safe and protect evidence.
👁️ Recognise the Warning Signs
If you suspect your friend’s drink has been tampered with or they may have been injected, watch for symptoms such as:
Feeling dizzy, faint, or unusually sleepy
Difficulty walking or standing steadily
Blurred or double vision
Unusually drunk or intoxicated relative to how much they drank
Nausea or vomiting
Paranoia, confusion or blackouts
If any of these occur, it’s important to act quickly.
🛡️ Step 1: Get to a Safe Place
Guide your friend away from the environment and people where the incident may have occurred.
Move somewhere quiet, calm and safe — ideally with familiar people around.
Do not raise alarms or point fingers in the moment — this may escalate the situation or confuse matters.
Make a mental note of who was nearby and their appearance (if possible) — this may be helpful later.
📞 Step 2: Get Help
If the venue has security staff, a duty manager or licensed personnel, notify them of the suspicion.
If you’re not sure what to do, or your friend’s condition is worsening (e.g., they lose consciousness, have trouble breathing) → call 999 or 112 immediately.
If it’s safe and appropriate, consider contacting the police to report the incident — you may also need medical support.
🚑 Step 3: Provide First Aid Support
Treat the situation as potential poisoning from a first-aid perspective:
Reassure your friend. Keep them calm and still.
Keep them warm and comfortable — help them sit or lie down.
Do not induce vomiting. This can make matters worse.
Monitor their breathing and check responsiveness regularly.
Check for other injuries — for example, if they fell or were assaulted.
If they stop breathing or their condition deteriorates → call 999/112 and start first-aid measures such as the recovery position or CPR if trained.
👥 Step 4: Stay With Them — For Them
Stay by their side at all times. Don’t leave them alone.
If you can, gather trusted friends or responsible adults who can support, monitor and accompany them.
Emotional and psychological impact is real — your presence, reassurance and contact with someone they trust is vital.
✅ Key Takeaways
Move the person to a safe location, stay calm, keep them comfortable.
Don’t delay getting help if their condition worsens or they are unresponsive.
Treat this as a possible poisoning scenario — monitor breathing, don’t induce vomiting.
Stay with them. Don’t leave them alone.
Seek professional medical assessment and consider reporting the incident to the police or venue.
🎓 Stay Prepared with DAC Education
Being ready to act in unexpected situations is an essential part of first-aid training. Our courses cover how to respond to a wide range of incidents — from accidents and injuries to poisoning and malicious actions.
👉 Book a First Aid Course
(Delivered at our Suffolk HQ or on-site for groups of six or more.)
Disclaimer
This article provides general first-aid guidance for suspicion of drink-spiking. Always call 999 or 112 if you believe someone is unwell due to non-consensual drug or injection exposure, or if they become unresponsive, breathe irregularly, or are at risk of harm.