A night out with your friends should always be a fun experience. But always be aware of the people around you and the drinks you're consuming.

What are the best safeguards?

• Make sure someone knows where you are going and what time you will be home.
• When going out try to avoid going alone.
• Be aware of what is going on around you.
• Avoid situations you are uncomfortable with.
• Never accept a drink from anyone you do not completely trust.
• Do not drink something you did not open or see being opened or poured.
• Do not leave your drink unattended.
• Remember: drugs can be put in soft drinks, tea, coffee, etc., as well as alcohol.
• When drinking from a bottle, keep your thumb over the top.
• If you return to your drink and it has been moved, looks different, appears to have been topped-up, or and/or tastes strange do not take a chance – discard it.
• If you begin to feel really drunk after only one or two drinks, seek help from a trusted friend, or a staff member of the establishment. Get to a safe place as soon as possible.

How can you tell if you have been drugged?

• If you are drinking, be aware of your alcohol tolerance.
• The symptoms of these drugs vary, but victims often report blurred vision and memory loss.
• Effects can start within minutes of consuming the drink.

What are the warning signs?

• Feeling dizzy or faint.
• Feeling sick or sleepy.
• Feeling intoxicated or confused even if you have only had a little alcohol to drink.
• Passing out.
• Waking up feeling uncomfortable and disorientated, with memory blanks of the night before.

What to do if you think you have been drugged:

• If you are with a friend you trust, tell them why you are worried. Get them to help you home, BUT BE CAREFUL WHO YOU TRUST - statistics suggest 70% of victims know their attacker.
• If you are alone or with a stranger, go to the venue manager or security and ask for their help; if you are female, try to seek help from someone also female and try to tell more than one person. Wait in their office while they contact someone you trust to come get you.
• Don’t let a stranger help you - they could be the person who spiked your drink.

Reporting the incident

• Report the incident to the police as soon as possible. Most of the drugs used leave the body very quickly. The sooner you are tested the more likely the drug is still in your system.
• If you fear you have been sexually assaulted while drugged, report it. Have a friend accompany you. Make sure you also visit your doctor or a medical clinic. Never forget the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.