Video Extent of drink spiking a 'myth', suggests new research

[~lostgurl~]

A new entry has been added to Drugs Archive

Description:

2 mins
24 June 2008
Nightline - TV3 - NZ

Sydney experts are divided over new research that suggests drink spiking, with illicit drugs, is largely a myth. The study revealed most of those claiming to be victims had either knowingly taken drugs or simply drunk too much.

When drinking leads to more than a hangover, spiking leaps to mind. But the new research suggests strangers dropping pills into drinks is actually quite rare.

"(It) seems to be over-reported and over-feared by the consumers," says Dr David Caldicott of Royal Adelaide Hospital. Dr Caldicott tested 160 patients who claimed to have had their drinks spiked.

Of those, only four had drugs like GHB in their system, and they all admitted using it. Twenty percent had used ecstasy, while nearly two-thirds showed high levels of another drug: ethanol, better known as plain old alcohol.

Doctors warn spirits and alcopops also increase the effect of drugs.

Sydney's Dr Ray Seidler says drink spiking can be a convenient excuse.
"A lot of people would rather blame an anonymous drink spiker, than take responsibility for their own actions," he says.

Rebekah Rade insists drink spiking is real. It has happened to her, six times.
"You wake up and you come to, and you think, 'Oh, I'm not where I think I am - I'm not doing what I think I'm doing' - so yeah, it's not nice."


To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit
Extent of drink spiking a 'myth', suggests new research
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.

[Lobsang]

Well this might be true. But I do know of a case personally where it WAS happening. There were these young guys that were putting something in peoples drinks at a club just to laugh at them when they got wrecked from the stuff. They had no other motive than a joke.

[corvardus]

SWIM is not surprised one bit by this. As with most criminal activities paranoia is often larger than the risk itself. Further people might not know how their body will react to certain drinks, or have a reaction that is unusual, which leads them to the conclusion that their drink has been spiked when it has not.

[ShawnD]

Even if it is a myth, the paranoia is probably a good thing.

Let me give a parallel. People of today love to lock things. You lock the door to your house. You lock your car. You lock your clothes when you go to the gym. Statistics say that crime in USA and Canada is actually lower than it has been in the past, so why are we locking things? Maybe, just maybe, the crime is down because people are locking things. It's a bit hard to carjack me using a knife when my door is locked, just as it's hard to break into my house when the doors are locked and the windows cannot be reached without a ladder.

The drugging thing might be a myth, but one could just as easily assume that's because women are very careful. Even if you wanted to pull something, it's hard to do that when a girl never puts her drink down, and she keeps it right in front of her face where she can clearly see it. Take the paranoia away, and it becomes a heck of a lot easier to turn that myth into a reality.