The dangers that lurk in our drinks

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It’s a Saturday night. You’re out with friends, eager to have a good time – eager to push gloomy talk deep into the depths of your subconscious, unaware of possible dark forces lurking in the bottom of your glass, bubbling into something potentially horrific.

This year has lead witness to a worrying trend of drinks being spiked, and many people were left fighting for their lives. Halloween saw an estimated thirty people fall foul of the ever-rising drug, Liquid Ecstasy. Disturbingly, this drug and many others have been used to spike the drinks of random people on a night out. Is this the beginning of a new dicing-with-death culture? And are these random attacks being carefully calculated for the entertainment of contaminated minds?

The latter is worrying, giving rise to an increasingly reported minority who are setting out to purposefully spike drinks. Sadly, some people have admitted to spiking drinks – strangers and, bizarrely, their own friends – all in the name of sinister entertainment. The most severe cases have involved people being mugged, raped or sexually assaulted – and even death.

Clara (22) is a student with a scarring personal account of having had a drink spiked. “I was in one of my regular haunts with friends on a Friday night. I drank a few drinks following dinner earlier and felt perfectly fine. In fact, I was on top form. I remember the club being really busy; it was a promotional student night, so it was much busier than usual. I was standing at the crowded bar, sipping my drink and scanning the room for seats. All my friends were caught up in the atmosphere, dancing to the music and chatting. I remember asking one of my girlfriends to watch my drink until I came back from the toilet. Guessing she heard me, I left. When I came back they (Clara’s friends) were still caught up in conversation with men standing nearby. I picked up my drink and continued drinking.” Clearly struggling to recall the night, she adds: “ I remember the drink being a little off taste, and after chugging most of it back, I brushed it off and went for a dance. One thing that still stands out is the heat. My whole body went into overdrive, and I began sweating intensely.”

Putting it down to the dancing, Clara made her way back to the bar. “I was dehydrated – thirsty beyond belief. I had to shout at the barman to catch his attention. When he finally heard me, I asked him for two glasses of water. I drank them fast but still felt dehydrated. I remember friends shouting: ‘Clara, are you okay? You look really pale!’ I tried to shout back but my speech was slurred and what I was saying wasn’t making sense. I could see my friends, but they looked so far away and the whole room was spinning around me. That’s when I started panicking, and when my friends realised something was seriously wrong. I remember them struggling to get me outside. My legs were buckling under me, and my head was slumping onto my shoulders. I’m sure I looked terrifying thinking back now. When I got outside the air helped slightly, but my legs continued to buckle beneath me and a sickening, dizzying feeling was churning in my stomach. I could hear my friends panicking, and that made me feel worse. I think that’s when I blacked out. The only thing I can remember after that is waking up in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines. Doctors found a combination of drugs in my system, one of them being Ketamine.”

Doctors told Clara that she was lucky her vitals were not affected by the lethal dose of drugs in her system. Ketamine, street termed “Special K”, is another notoriously popular drug on the club scene. It is ranked in line with cocaine and ecstasy, despite its possession being legal. It’s a horse tranquilliser, and it is lethal when combined with alcohol.

This emerging drug is undergoing black-market testing to enhance its high-like effects, thus compromising more lives. People have described hallucinogenic lapses and uncontrollable vomiting, which, in some cases, has led to death.

Following a recent London based report on the effects and increasing prevalence of Ketamine, Martin Barnes, Chief Executive of British charity Drugscope, said: “Short-term memory loss is one of many potential damaging effects – regular Ketamine use can damage the bladder and kidneys, high doses can cause serious breathing problems and unconsciousness and users can become addicted to the drug. As with all drugs, the harms are potentially increased when combined with other drugs including alcohol.” It has been reported that Ketamine’s prevalence is increasing in Ireland due to cross-border smuggling.

The spiking of drinks is not confined to individual “at risk” groups. Most people are vulnerable, especially in cases of improper drink protection. However, there are a number of steps that can be taken to prevent it from happening.

Surrounding yourself with the right people is important: friends, etc. Simple steps such as holding your thumb over the top of a bottle; never leaving your drink unattended, even when going to the toilet; and never accepting drinks from “nice” strangers, all play a major role in preventative measures. It’s important to bear in mind that if a situation doesn’t feel right, then it almost certainly isn’t: trust your instinct.

Alas, over complacency and the belief “it will never happen to me” have played a killer role in causing drug-induced deaths. The cold facts are set in stone. In the end, the individual has the choice. And, according to Clara, had she been forewarned in advance, she would have been more club-smart and street-wise. The matter is in the hand of the drinker; it is their prerogative to protect themselves. Behind the rose-tinted glasses something is lurking, and unfortunately for those seeking a good time, it is the minority of dangerous minds that are putting innocent lives at risk.

Martin Flanagan